Contrast
by BlackLily13
Summary: [AU] I am a warlord, a dictator, a king who has absolute power and control. And she is a mere servant. She's worthless, an expendable pawn. My minion, oh how I hate her. And yet I am still madly in love with her. [Myotismon POV]
1. Consequence

Chapter One- Consequence

The night air felt cool on the back of my neck as I opened the window. It creaked loudly, and I made a mental note to get someone to fix it later. It was good to smell the pine trees in the forest once again, and to hear the different nocturnal creatures scamper around. After all, I had not heard such noises for nearly six years; this is the price I pay for being what they called "evil" and full of "corrupted data."

Scornfully, I laugh at them for saying such things. Who are they to judge what is good and what is evil? Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder, as well as the morals of a digimon. I was pursuing my own destiny, to take over the world. This they say is wrong, for the world is no one's to control.

Regardless, I was to suffer and pay my dues, which I had begrudgingly done. After six years of what I referred to as "damnation," I was free to return to the Digital World once more… for a price. If I were to return, I was to stay in my current form and never digivolve to either of my Mega forms again. That would mean that if I ever got out of line again, the Digidestineds would surely find out and defeat me once more because the power of eight is too much for me at an ultimate level. Despite the consequences, I think it was pretty obvious what I chose.

The reason I accepted such a deal was simple: I merely wanted to live again. I longed for the cool nights, the full moon gleaming down upon me. I yearned for the nights that I spent in my library, reading assorted books by the firelight. But most of all, I missed the girls. Not often, but when I could, I would go out and visit them, charming them with this unprecedented charisma that even I was amazed at.

The scent of fresh blood snapped me out of my reverie. It was close, somewhere between two and three miles away. And whoever it was had a distinct and familiar scent. If I could just get a hint, I would know in an instant.

I was greeted with a loud, but distant scream. Instantly, I knew who she was and stopped running. She, the distant memory of my past, the one who had first tormented me, was less than a mile from my current location. I studied the facts for a moment and concluded that whoever was hurting her was doing a fine job. I edged myself closer to her, hoping for a good fight. My wish was granted.

It seems that my little pet had caught herself in a fight against two other champions: a BlackGatomon and a Sorcerymon. It did strike me as ironic that she should come in contact with her counterparts. She seemed prepared for the cat mostly, but I kept my eye on Sorcerymon. Somehow, I felt he would do something sneaky.

Gatomon started off well, and at one point, was even going to win the battle. That was merely because the BlackGatomon had mentioned it to be a "cats only" fight. After the dark cat started losing, Sorcerymon stepped in to help out his friend. He cast an ice attack on Gatomon, and the shards pelted her long enough for her to fall. They proclaimed their victory and went back to the valley towns to celebrate.

The ice crystals cut her like daggers, and fresh blood poured from her wounds. The smell was enthralling, yet she was still conscious, so I didn't dare try to feed from her. Well, at least not until she was unconscious.

My heart, normally beating so slowly, began to race as I neared her body. The bloodlust was insatiable. Her eyes had closed, and she was about to de-digivolve into a Salamon once more. I kneeled beside her and stared over her, preparing myself to drink.

The strangest event occurred right before I drank: a persistent and nagging voice in the back of my head prevented me from doing so. This voice sounded like me as a child, which confused me greatly. It kept telling me that if I did do this, I would miss out on something better. Yes, it was odd that I had tricked myself into listening to myself, but that's beside the point. I did not drain her.

Ignoring my desires for sweet nourishment, I followed the voice's advice and took her back to my castle. I must admit, it was odd bringing her back. I set her down on the lid of my coffin, a temporary table, seeing as how my desk was cluttered with papers and maps (not to mention the stack of books I needed to return to the library downstairs).

Her eyes fluttered open, and I twitched. Panic raced through me, and I was unsure of what to do next. If I hid, she would explore my room, and undoubtedly recognize where she was. If I stayed, she would be terrified to find me alive and well. Neither option favored me, so I stood still and waited for her cringes.


	2. Submission

**Chapter Two- Submission**

Her eyes widened as she gasped. I'm sure that I wasn't the best thing to wake up to, but I digress. Her paws twitched and her lip trembled as she held a claw out to me.

"You…" she managed; her voice was even quivering.

"Yes, it's me. I'm here too. Get over it."

She looked at the ground, sorrow in her eyes. "Oh great. I really _did_ go to Hell."

I narrowed my eyes and mentioned, "You're not in Hell. You're alive."

"You rescued me?"

I blinked, a bit taken aback by her statement. True, I had indeed rescued her from Death's icy grip, yet I had not acknowledged this until now. I miserably nodded my head.

She furrowed her brow in confusion and shook her head a bit, engaging in her own mental conversation. "This doesn't make sense. Why you? Why are you alive and not--" she caught herself and stopped mid-sentence, yet her eyes filled with tears.

I rolled my eyes. I knew whom she was going to mention: Wizardmon. Merely thinking his name made me wince as I remembered what a traitor he was too. Him I could never forgive, but her… there was a chance for her yet.

"I'm sorry. Forget it, it's nothing," she said, avoiding any awkward glances.

Venturing into one of my closets, I pulled out a bottle of vodka. Seeing as how most of her wounds were not very deep, vodka seemed like a perfect solution. I also pulled out some bandages to cover her wounds.

As soon as I set the two items down beside her, she flinched. "No… get that crap away from me!" she screamed.

"What's the matter with it?" I questioned. "It's just vodka."

"No, that'll burn like hell!"

"You want your wounds to get infected? Then shut the hell up and listen to me!"

She recoiled, as if my words were another scratch on her. She exhaled sharply and relaxed her muscles. Allowing herself to trust me was probably the hardest thing she ever had to do, but in my favor, she did not have a choice.

The more vodka I put on her injuries, the harder it was for her to not scream. I could hear her heart pumping faster than normal, and her breaths were constrained so it would be easier to hold in her tears of anguish. She could have easily screamed, and it was not like I had shackled her to the table. And yet she stayed still, never moving.

A light bulb clicked in my head. It all came together: Her particular choice of words, her submissive and demure attitude, and her sapphire eyes that never quite met mine—she was afraid. It doesn't surprise me in the least. After all, I am intimidating in more ways than one. Six years certainly made me patient, but she had the right idea.

Another important detail about the battle earlier slipped my mind. Grimacing at the thought, I inquired about her partner.

"Oh," she spoke softly, "Kari and I are fighting."

Of course, she piqued my interest with such a lurid detail as this, so I pressed on, hoping for more information. She sighed heavily and explained that the young boy with the Angemon was Kari's mate, or as she put it, "husband." Kari had hoped that the two angels would learn to love each other, which had proved unsuccessful.

Frankly, I was still trying to wrap my mind around the concept that Kari, the little eight year old who became the Bearer of Light, was all grown up now. She had become a bride, and it saddened me to think that in 25 or 30 years, she would become a grandmother, and I would simply remain the same, lonely vampire.

The concept depressed me, but I caught Gatomon mentioning, "I can't believe she'd do this to me. Patamon may be one of my friends, but he could never replace—"

Again, she stopped herself from saying his name. This absolutely irritated me to no end, so I spoke for her. "Wizardmon."

"Yes…" she wept silently for him for a brief moment. I assume she hadn't said his name in years, and as I finished dressing her wounds, a startling comment escaped her lips. "Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked. "You expect something in return, huh?"

I tried concealing my grin of amusement as I answered, "As a matter of fact, yes. Seeing as how you want to escape your good life, why not take a trip down Memory Lane? Come back… I'm sure you miss being a bad little—"

"Forget it," she cut me off. "You're nice to me just to trick into being your little slave again? Screw that. I'm smarter now, and I will never join you again."

I think what made me start laughing in the first place was that she was being serious. It was a joke, and even she knew it as she scowled. "Face it," I mentioned, "you're not leaving this castle. Not unless I tell you. You will agree to eternal slavery now, or else. And before you start running your mouth, let me remind you that you are an injured champion, and I have the strength of a Mega on my side. You have no choice."

Her dominatrix attitude lashed out as she yelled, "There's no way in hell I'd ever be your servant again! You can't force me to do anything!"

"Submit yourself to me, or you will never see the light of day again!"

Her anger levels rose as she screamed, "I dare you to even try!"

My hands clutched the back of her neck as I picked her up. She fought me, kicking, hollering, and at one point, scratching at my hand to break free. Her efforts were in vain as I threw her against the dungeon walls. Gripping my whip, I cracked it on the floor in front of her. I could feel my own heart begin to race as I felt the whip start to take control of me, almost brainwashing me with its destructive power.

In a snap, her temperament switched from dominant to submissive. She bowed, humbling herself to me, and I put my whip away. "Please…" she mumbled, "don't hurt me. I'm sorry. I'll be good, I promise."

As I first heard her, buzzers went off in my head. I could hear myself clearly think that there was something wrong with her, and that she was probably lying to me; at this point, I didn't care to know the truth behind her false guarantees, so I let the issue go.

"That's a good girl." I grinned deviously as I locked the dungeon door behind me. Her sobs faded into the darkness as I headed back to my room. I needed to think.


	3. Clash

**Chapter Three- Clash**

I leaned my head against the wall as I entered the room. All around me was this constant barrage of noise, but in my room, there was silence. The only sounds came from either the flickering flame of the candle or the scratching of the quill pen across the journal page.

My feelings, conflicted as they were, poured onto the page. Any feelings I had long thought nonexistent stirred inside of me. The only question was why? Why should I even care about her, especially after what she had done to me? She broke my heart—or better yet, stabbed me in the heart—with that damned arrow of light she possessed. It not only pained me physically, but even the very depths of my soul. That is, of course, if I still have one.

My death was strange. Most digimon, to my knowledge, would feel some kind of remorse, even if it were illogical or miniscule. I felt nothing but the pain of the arrow. And yet, there was a second pain, which even I cannot describe now. All I remember was that this was a dull, numbing pain before. During my death, it spiked as my thoughts flew faster than a hurricane. I simply could not for the life of me figure out what that was.

And now, as I contemplate it, I feel that it was the little compassion I had felt slowly regretting everything that I had done. This confused me greatly. Why was the answer suddenly clear now? I could have used that information earlier.

Recollections of my childhood grew nearer to me, and became clearer to see than any other time in my life. For decades, I had pushed them away, for they were too painful to remember. But now, they came back, haunting me when I dared to keep them in mind, yearning for them to be kept under lock and key once more. There are times when even the strongest digimon can feel weak, and I loathed every minute of it.

My conscience seemed to enjoy this pain, for his laughter echoed throughout my head. I scowled and clenched my fists, biting at my lip until it bled. I mentally cursed myself out for my nervous habit, and I held my tongue over the wound to stop the bleeding.

My conscience decided that it was time to speak out after staying silent for so long. _Why do you always sabotage such a good thing? That's why you're suffering for it now. If you had listened to me, you'd have a bride by now, wouldn't you?_

I can't believe this. My conscience, me as a child, is rebuking me. The logic of him telling me off is not something I was at all prepared to take on, so I simply ignored him, as I have always done. I could sense him backing down, so I simply stated out loud, "So what if I could have had her then? She wasn't ready for me, and I certainly was not patient enough then to handle her acting out."

_But you did handle her, no?_

I sighed and continued, "You know as well as I do that that's not at all what I mean."

_Alright, well then, enlighten me. What is it that you mean?_

"We are **not** having this conversation right now."

_Yes we are._

My eye twitched, painfully annoyed of how inquisitive I was in my youth. It's useless to try to tell a child 'no' when all they want to—and all they can hear—is 'yes'. Usually, my conscience stays silent because he's under the impression that I have selective hearing, which when it comes to someone younger or lesser than me, I do. Why should I care what he has to say? He tried to stop me from conquering the Digital World, but did that work? Obviously not. Then again, he did tell me not to enter the Real World, and we all know what happened there, but I am deviating.

There was a loud scratching at my door, which pried me away from my desk. Before I even answered the door, I was certain that it must be one of my Devidramon, and I was correct in my assumption. His blood red eyes stared up at me as I looked down to see what he was trying to tell me.

In his mouth was Gatomon's tail, and her head was hanging a few inches off the ground, but her ears dragged. She was fussing and telling the Devidramon to put her down. I nodded my head, and he released his grip, giving her quite a headache as her head met the floor. Her tail ring was missing, so I stared at the Devidramon. He held out one of his claws; her tail ring was balanced on the end of it. I snatched the ring away, pocketing it. I clenched the back of Gatomon's neck before she had a chance to flee.

Assuming again, I asked Devidramon, "She tried to run away, didn't she?" He slowly nodded his head. A sadistic grin crossed my face as I dismissed him. This was going to be one hell of a night.


	4. Irritation

**Chapter Four- Irritation**

"Let me out of here, you overgrown tick!"

That attitude of hers needed to be adjusted, and I had an easy solution: personal custody. I locked her in my room, a foreign and depraved plain for her to be in. This was temporary and only for a night, but it would allow me to keep an eye on her. The only fear I had at this moment was a bout of paranoia; I hate having other digimon go through my personal belongings.

But, at this point, what did I care? Personally, she ruined my night, so I was going to make her pay. Luckily, my throne room was close, so I seized hold of her neck and carried her in. "Don't worry," I stated cruelly, "you'll have plenty of time to roam around later. That is, if you even have the strength to stand." I couldn't help but laugh viciously at this. Most of my time spent in the throne room is a blur because of the "training sessions" I do. And honestly, I'd much rather prefer blood on those walls then the ones in my room. The scent of dried blood keeps me in a frenzy, an agitated but alert state.

I threw her against the far wall, my anger slowly rising. She whimpered, begging not to be hurt again. I gripped my whip once more, but this time, I would not let myself be subdued by her cries. Again and again I lashed at her. Not one mark on her came without warnings, threats, or obscenities.

My anger peaked when she decided to summon enough energy to fight back. I paused for a moment to see if she was still conscious. When she didn't move, I crept closer, almost in disbelief. I knew that it was a foolish mistake on my part. A second had passed, and she felt my glare. She slashed at me, cutting my face open. Three long, deep gashes were now etched into my cheek. Ignoring my own scent of blood, I fell back on my primal instincts: If threatened, kill.

The rage subsided after I had unleashed a second wave of fury, aimed all at her. In the very depths of my mind, I felt that by punishing her, I would break her. Every master hopes to have the perfect servant, and for a time, she was one… until that mage came along and swept her heart away. I slowly felt her fading, her sense of right and wrong being refreshed, merely because of his presence. I had wished that also by punishing her, I could feel my own feelings of hatred for Wizardmon fade away. His rebellious attitude still lingered in her, and if there was still somehow a connection between the two, it was my job to sever it.

I left her in there, battered and bleeding. There was only one way that I knew of that would calm me down. I had opened my bedroom door, and there stood a LadyDevimon, dressed in crimson red. Her pale face contrasted with the black lace around the edges of her dress. I grinned, for she was what I had been waiting all night for.

It's funny how some digimon relax. Some try to take naps and clear their mind; the mages meditate to do so. Some train, honing in on their attacks, while the quieter ones simply read a book. As for me, I am rather different. I may be quiet, but at times, reading does nothing for me except draw me into their world.

For me, it's nice to clear my head and focus on only one thing: sex. Women always took the stress away, but not this time. She calmed me down enough, and even started off by giving me a back massage. I _was_ relaxed; she was doing a fine job, and yet I was still so tense. My mind kept flashing back to Gatomon, the slightest tinge of regret pricking me like needles. I clenched my fist and allowed myself to block her out of my mind. After all, I wanted to enjoy **this** moment. What else was I paying her for?

Unfortunately, the fun came to a close, and it seemed like it was only a couple minutes. Regardless, I paid her and showed her the way out. After cleaning up and getting dressed, I decided to see how Gatomon was, since it was probably an hour that I had left her in there.

The first thing that should have alerted me that something was wrong was the fact that it was quiet; an eerie, morbid kind of quiet. As I opened the door, I found the throne room to be desolate. My suspicions let me to believe that she had gone back to my room, which after opening the door, proved to be correct.

At least she left my room in a somewhat decent state. The scent of her blood overpowered me for a moment, and I fought with my instincts to retain what little sanity I have. Her scent led me to the corner of the room near my books. I stood over her shoulder, casting my shadow on the wall and blocking the light from the dim chandelier.

She turned to face me, and I looked her over for a moment. She had found a blanket in my closet and wrapped it around her, to keep from bleeding everywhere. I was aware of her face and the whip marks that now covered it, especially the dreadfully deep ones that were across her eyes. The guilt picked at my brain, and my eye twitched as a result.

I held out my hand, asking for my book back. She cast her glance downward as she handed it to me. As I paged through it, I mentally regretted leaving _this _book out for her to read. The pictures were grounds for blackmail, and so were the writings printed on the page. This book was part photo album and part journal… all from my youth.


	5. Reminiscent

**Chapter Five****- Reminiscent**

"Myotismon, is this you?"

A pained expression crossed my face as I grimaced at the photo she had pointed out. It was a family photograph, taken when I was almost ten years old back in 1826. It was hard to believe that over 180 years had passed since that day. To a mortal, this would seem like forever, but in my mind, I had only blinked.

I still looked about the same as I do now, just shorter: my blonde hair was pulled back, and my eyes were still veiled by the same mask I wear now. My older brother, Edward, was to my right, and behind him stood my father. The three of us looked similar, although my brother was more like Mother than Father when it came to physical appearances.

My mother had her hand on my shoulder. She was by far the most stunning one in the picture. Her eyes were soft, and reminded me of cranberries. Her long black hair had been swept up. Her dress, if I remember correctly, was a corset and a skirt she had sewn together. The corset was midnight black, whereas the skirt was a rich crimson red. She had added long, loose sleeves that went off the shoulder, the same color as the skirt. Her necklace, as faded as the picture seemed, was still there: A velvet black choker embellished with a silver bat with ruby red eyes. It matched her name: Ruby.

Strange… for a LadyDevimon, she looked nothing like one. She chose to be different, to show her face when others would not. She was a dreamer, a rebel, a queen in her own right... she was an angel, but above all, she was my mother. I whispered so softly, it was almost inaudible. "Mother…"

I loved her dearly, and the photograph broke the floodgate of my mind, holding back any memory of my childhood, both the good and the bad. The emotion ran deep, piercing me worse than an arrow of light. Hell, I would gladly take _that_ torture than force myself to continue hiding my emotions.

Gatomon must have noticed the change in my attitude, or the lack of spoken words. I must have emitted a forlorn and somber tone because I watched her move closer to me. She glanced at the picture again, motioning toward my youth. "It is you." She paused for a moment, contemplating and choosing her words carefully again. "Your mother…" Her claw moved up just a bit as she continued, "She's very pretty."

Again, that sensitive word was uttered once more. Another stake to puncture me. Another disfigurement to add to the multitude of battle scars and mental strains.

"Thank you," I managed. How I could speak by restraining any sign of weakness was beyond me. "I thought so too."

"Thought so?" she questioned. She was observant, meaning that she was truly interested in what I was saying. Either that or she pretended to keep my mind off of punishing her. It worked, nonetheless. She had pushed me back into a state of melancholy nostalgia.

She seemed to sense this and quickly retracted her statement, mentioning that I did not have to answer it. But yet again, she inquired about my mother. "What was your mother like?"

I started slow, drawing my breaths in gradually, keeping my mind level before the emotional rollercoaster would commence. "My mother… she was wonderful. I really cared about her, and she cared about me. She taught me everything I have ever needed to know about women. When I was sick, she would also take over as my academic teacher, tutoring me in almost anything. She mentioned quite frequently about my knack for English. I was a bright child, so it didn't surprise her as much." It was here I started to notice my ramblings were falling deeper into something that would soon turn ugly, so I decided to finish up. "She was the greatest woman I have ever met."

"She sounds nice. I would have loved to meet her." Her comment was a bit startling, but I shrugged it off and nodded my head. Gatomon seemed to think of another, more difficult question. I could almost guess what it was, so I stopped her.

"I'd rather not talk about that part of my life, if you don't mind."

She looked up, her eyes widened in shock. "What? How did you—"

"I just do," I retorted, cutting her off again. I knew what she was going to ask: How did my mother die? It was just such a painful experience that I do not wish to fall back into the reverie. The warning to stop came too late, for the gears in my brain started turning, propelling me into the past almost 200 years ago.

_My tenth birthday fell on October 13; the picture was taken just a few months prior. __I remember coming home October 12 from that dreaded hell-hole Acacia and I called "school." Acacia was my best friend, who also rubbed in my face about how she was ten hours older than me. It was her birthday today, and to celebrate, __my mother had asked that I bring her home with me, but for what reason was puzzling. __My mother told us to gather around her jewelry box. Acacia's sapphire eyes lit up when my mother presented her with a ring, made out of sterling silver. The gem, a sapphire, was surrounded by small little diamonds. I must admit, even I was astonished._

_"It matches your eyes perfectly," my mother had commented. _

_Acacia hugged her and cried out, "Thank you so much, Mother Ruby!" Acacia had lost her mother when she was five, an apparent suicide. She had often remarked about how my mother was close to her own, and the two became fast friends. As they hugged, I pressed this beautiful picture of near-mother-and-daughter into my mind. I had a strange sense that this would all fade in time. _

_The night passed on, and Mother led the two of us back into my room. Father would be coming home soon, as would Edward__ (Edward, being our father's apprentice, was learning the tricks and the trade about __power, which morally corrupted him. The two were often spotted drinking into the dim hours of sunrise, a few prostitutes leaning on their arms at times.) Mother had commented about the dreaded "R" word: runaway. __She had been planning for the three of us to escape from my father and his tyrannical rule. She may be the angel among demons, but that doesn't grant her any power._

_I escorted Acacia back home. In her backyard, there was a balcony with a trellis against the back wall of the house. She climbed up, but not without kissing me a few times. She and I had just begun dating a mere three weeks ago. Already, we __were __kis__sing__ each other__, and we knew that once we got a bit older, we'd go a bit farther. But not now. Tonight was our fantastical feat. Tonight we were magicians, about to perform a disappearing act, never to return.__ Of course, Acacia was the one that never returned. After twenty minutes had passed, I went up to see what was wrong with her. The balcony door was locked, but the curtains were parted, so I could peer in. _

_She was lying on her bed__, her red sheets held a certain glare to them. Some red, glossy liquid coated them, and instantly my mind snapped to one thing: blood. I changed my angle, shuffling a bit more to the left to peer in. The sight sickened me. Her arms were tied to the bedposts with what appeared to be stockings, and most of her clothes were ripped.__ Her black hair lightly blanketed her face. But w__hat paralyzed me__ the most__ was the wooden stake embedded in her heart. My stomach lurched at the sight__. I__ was sickened, saddened, and enraged all at the same time. Who could have done this to her? Or the all-important question: why?_

_I dragged myself home, grieving along the way. __Meeting up with Mother and shaking my head at Acacia's absence was the hardest thing ever. At least she hugged me, allowing me to cry into her shoulder. She had always been my rock, my pillar of support and strength. Now, it was up to us two to leave. We started for the bedroom door when a looming figure appeared before us. Father was home. __The next fifteen minutes or so were spent exchanging hateful words. Some of the obscenities my father called my mother are names that not even a slave deserves. My father, a cruel and heartless vampire, was beyond the textbook definition of "monster." He was pure evil._

_I would have given anything to fight back, but alas, I was too young to extract my power. __I tried to pry myself out of my brother's grasp. (He was holding me back while my parents faced off against one another.)__I knew my mother had no chance, but still, I hoped that she would be lucky and stab him somewhere good. It was such an unfair match though: __Father__ had a dagger hidden in his boot, and of course, our family whip, while my mother was unarmed. She did have good reaction times, so there was a chanc__e. I had just gotten my hopes up until__ I saw the dagger go through her chest._

_She fell to the ground, a disturbing thud as she lay on a blanket of __her blood. I screamed out for her to stand, to face him again. "Mother!"_

_Her hand reached out for me as she called out __my name__. "Viktor…" she managed. She had been calling me 'Viktor' ever since I was little. When I was __younger__, I loved hearing the stories that she made up about this little vampire __boy __named Viktor, so ever since, my pet name from her was Viktor. Only she __and sometimes Acacia__ ever called me that. Now that my mother was__ dying__, no one would ever call me that __again. Tears__ filled my eyes as the anger welled up inside of me.__ Why me? I suffer through this hell, and then when I try to escape, they take away the only people who__ ever__ cared about me!?No longer could I stand idly by and watch the ocean of torment drown me again. This time, I would get to shore… _

"Myotismon!"

Like another nightmare, my mind had fallen back into place. I blinked, probably the first sign of being coherent Gatomon had seen in the past five or ten minutes. I lost track of time when I thought back to my past, except they usually haunted me during the day while I was sleeping. I stared down at her, her eyes peeled for anything suspicious in my features.

She asked me again, "Myotismon… are you all right?"

I blinked a few more times, allowing my face to loosen up a bit. I hid the picture in the book, not sure what page I had turned to and not caring either. I stared the feline down, making sure that she was intimidated enough by my presence. "Listen to me," I said, clearly and crisply. "If you go into that book ever again, I will personally see to it that you die slowly and painfully. Understand?"

She nodded. I needed to unwind, but sleep is fleeting for a vampire, especially at 1:30 A.M. By this time, I had noticed that she was starting to get drowsy. Needing her within easy access, I plucked a few extra blankets out of the closet and made a bed for her a few feet away from my own. "Sleep here," I ordered.

She bobbed her head once more, slower this time. Obviously, she was not prepared to pull an all-nighter, so I chose to stay in the room, the lights completely off.

"Goodnight," I uttered softly.


	6. Nightmare

**Chapter Six- Nightmare**

I glared enviously at the feline. It took her all of twenty minutes to fall asleep; the only thing keeping her awake was probably her own fear. I didn't even try to rest my mind, even though it would probably be for the best: The closer I am to her schedule, the better off I am at keeping track of her. After all, I wouldn't want her escaping while I'm lost in my dreams, would I?

I fought with myself to debate when would be a good time to fall asleep. I wasn't sure of how her schedule worked yet, for it had only been a few hours that she was here. Finally, around 2 AM, I decided to rest. I crept into bed, careful not to disturb her peaceful slumber. Knowing that my body was not used to sleeping this early, I had a fit of insomnia. I am unsure how long I stared at the ceiling, counting how many specks of dirt that I could see, but approximately an hour later, I fell asleep.

"_Viktor!"_

_I heard her clearly cry out for my help. I tried to run after her, to save her from dying, but Edward had kept me pinned back. I only watched in horror as her hand fell to the ground, along with her head, which was a mere two inches off of the floor. Fresh tears slid down my cheek. No, I thought to myself, this isn't true! She can't die! "Mother!" I screamed, my lungs on fire. _

_I glared hatefully at my father. Ever fiber in my being committed itself to destroying my tormentor. I let my fury control me, power coursing through my veins. In a swift motion, I broke the grip Edward had on me. I, a ten-year-old, overpowered someone four years my senior. Edward had a knife on him, but the second he pulled it out on me, I kicked it out of his hands and twisted his arm out of its socket. He howled in pain, clutching his broken arm. Our eyes met for only a moment, but once they did, mine turned into a blood-wrath red. In a low voice, I whispered my Nightmare Spell into his ear. He fell to the floor, convulsing like an epileptic._

_I focused my attention on my father this time. His eyes were a constant red, like the countless gallons of blood he spilled over his lifetime. He smelled of whiskey with the hint of sulfur under his clothes. He always smelled of sulfur, or what he often called brimstone. Fire and brimstone… the verse was familiar. I believe it referred to demonic creatures burning in Hell, if you believe in that stuff, that is. It didn't matter. He was evil enough to give Lucifer a run for his money. _

_My father faced me and laughed boisterously. "You think you can fight me?"_

"_You don't deserve to be walking on Earth, you demon."_

_He sneered, "We will see, you little cretin." He whipped at me, just barely catching my arm. I picked up Edward's dagger and charged at him, frantically avoiding the whip from lashing at me. I stopped for a moment, taking careful aim. He turned to face me, just as I threw the blade like a shuriken. Perfect timing. It stuck right in his neck, the tip digging itself into his pulse._

_He suffered silently as he fell to his knees and then to his left side, the dagger stuck tight into his neck. I kicked him in the chest; he doesn't deserve to die touching my mother. I stole the dagger and whip from him, and went over to pay Mother my last respects._

"_Mother…" My words were futile. She was still, and her body grew cold. I brushed the hair out of her face, using my fingers to comb it back into something more like her. Her bat necklace was the only thing I removed from her body, to which I slipped around my own neck. There was no way I'd let that be buried along with her; I wanted part of Mother with me forever. _

_I kissed her cheek as a few tears fell on her skin. "I love you… Mom…"_

I awoke with a start, my pillow wet with bittersweet tears. I mourned her death, as if I had regressed to a child once more. The light from the clock glared 3 AM, and my head rested on the pillow again. I shut my eyes once more and tried to dream again….

"_Viktor, be good at school today, alright?"_

"_I will try, Mother. But the kids can be downright cruel to me."_

"_I know, but listen…" she crouched down to my level for a moment and spoke softly, "You're six years old. I already kept you out of school for a year now, and you don't want the truant officers catching you again. Now please, make the most of today." _

_A black ring surrounded her eye as she bade me farewell. I had noticed it last night as well, but I didn't comment on it. We never talk about our marks. _

_In my hands was a red mask that resembled the wings of a bat. I put it on, making sure that I had covered up my own mark as well. My scarred eye was easy to cover. (When I was little, Father had given me the Demon Mark, five slashes over my right eye that resembled a crescent. Luckily, my vision increased over time, unaffecting my everyday life, unless someone noticed it, that is.)_

_I carried my books into my first class of the day, preparing for imminent doom._

_x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x_

"_Look at the freak with the mask!" The other classmates joined in on the laughter. This was why I hated school: their relentless teasing. Not one day was I given a reprieve from this torment. Even the teachers hated me, for they joined in on the laughter. If some of the kids tried to beat me up after school, they would leave the scene so as to not witness it. My cries would go unheeded, because they simply didn't care._

_It wasn't hard to see why. I was, more or less, a hybrid digimon. My father was a true vampire instead of a Digimon (How he and my mother got together is beyond me…), which changed me a bit. I aged like a vampire: very slowly, but with spurts of growth because of my data. This would mean that I was born as a vampire digimon, and always stayed a vampire digimon. _

_I politely asked to be excused. The teacher, who was the worst contender, granted me permission to use the lavatories. Of course, I just wanted to avoid the other children. They may be rookie and champion digimon, but they can be fierce. What am I to do, fight back? I have already thrown a punch, and nearly got my fingers broken as a result._

_I flinched at the skylight as I walked in. Luckily, it had been a cloudy day, so very little sunlight came in. I hated the sun, but I didn't get affected as harshly by it like real vampires do… hmm, I suppose that my data makes me a daywalker._

_x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x_

_I arrived home, fresh scratches and bruises brandishing my already burned body. My classmates came for me and began roughing me up a bit before locking the door behind them. And it was rather unfortunate that there was a skylight in the bathroom as well. I seethed with rage for about an hour or two until someone tried to open the door. It took another twenty minutes, but greeting me on the other side was Acacia, who had picked open the lock with a bobby pin and a paper clip. Her face was stricken with worry as she helped me limp home._

"_Oh dear…" my mother said as she greeted us, grabbing the first aid kit in the closet… and a bottle of alcohol. _

"_He's going to be fine, Mother Ruby… right?" Acacia spoke, always comforting me. Mother nodded her head as she worked. The alcohol stung worse than the sun, but it helped in the long run. _

"_Of course, sweetie, as long as no one injures him again for a few days." She smiled bleakly, knowing it was futile, knowing that someone would hurt me again. What a pity that that someone was outside the front door trying to come in._

_Acacia, taking the hint when the door handle started rattling, snuck out the back door. Just as my mom locked it, the front door banged. I tried to get up, but Mother instead picked me up and put me in my bed upstairs. "Rest, child," she simply stated._

_Indeed, rest was fleeting, especially because of the dull pain pulsing throughout my body. It didn't help that my head hurt because they were too loud downstairs either. Their bickering was even more distressing, and judging by the volume of his voice, Father was winning. Father winning results in both Mother and I being punished for our insolence, even if one of us had nothing to do with it. _

_He was not only unfair, but cruel and cynical. He held me to the highest standard, whereas Edward was allowed to slack off, simply because Father played favorites. Edward was the firstborn son, and in Father's mind, he held a special place in the family. I, the second-born son, am entitled to nothing but misery._

_My door burst open, and I hadn't had the strength to lift myself out of bed, to hide or beg for forgiveness. I was silent and still as my brother loomed over me. _

"_Father will be enraged if you do not get out of bed this instant." Edward warned. I heard him clearly, but I couldn't respond. Even if I only used my voice slightly, another surge of pain would shock me, impairing me. Edward nudged my shoulder again; he still had a tinge of concern for me. "Please, brother… do not make this any harder than it has to be."_

_I slowly shook my head as I heard Father's footsteps down the hall. Edward pulled me out of bed and made me get up, holding me in a position that would make it seem like he had captured me. I dared myself to lift my head, to face this demon that had the audacity to call himself my father, but my skull felt like it had been a hundred pounds._

_The beating commenced, yet I was numb to the pain. I remember only crying out a bit when he would whip through the bandages, reopening those wounds. Swimming in the ocean would be a dream compared to this burning hellfire pulsating through my body. _

_Father's fury resembled a tornado: as quick as he came, striking with brute force, he disappeared. Edward accompanied him out the door, silently flashing me a sympathetic look. I curled up on the floor, the blood slowly trickling out of me. I shuddered, wishing to bear the pain no more, hoping that I could, with the last of my energy, crawl into a corner and die. _

"_Viktor…" Mother spoke softly as Edward helped her into my room. Obviously, Father had gone to bed, and only then did Edward become a good son. He had wished to stay loyal to both parents, but he knew his place was by Father's side. Still, he helped me out every so often, whether it was bringing me bandages when I was injured, or slipping some food under the door when I would be locked into my room. _

_He slipped out the door, locking it behind him, as Father must have told him to do. Mother had propped herself against the bottom of my bed, and she beckoned for me to come closer. I crawled over, and in the comfort of her loving embrace, I sobbed. _

"_Shh… don't cry…" she softly whispered in my ear. "You have to be strong, little one." I tried to heed her advice, but the tears still kept flowing. I was unable to stop this, and she knew. She succumbed to her own despair, and tears fell from her eyes. _

_She kissed my cheek, and while looking me in the eyes, she solemnly spoke, "Happy birthday, darling."_

Again, I awoke, feeling forlorn and melancholy. The clock read almost 4 A.M., and I grew despondent. My exhausted mind kept me from even attempting to sleep, so I headed for the library. I was careful not to wake Gatomon.

I arrived and immediately felt a chill, so I started a fire in the fireplace. The glow from the fire lit up the room, which was surrounded by shelves of books, stretching as far as twenty feet from the ground. I strolled over to my chair, pulling out a book with golden brown binding. I paged through the novel, a favorite of mine since I was a teenager, when all of a sudden, the floor creaked behind me. I ignored it until I heard a small voice.

"Myotismon…" Gatomon spoke softly, "What are you still doing up?"

"I could not sleep," I quietly replied.

"Oh…" she said to herself. I heard another creak, as though she was coming closer to me. She sat in the small area of light in front of the fireplace, curling into a ball and trying to fall asleep again. The scene reminded me of when she was younger, and how foolish she was when an ember burned her ear.

"The cinders will burn your fur again," I commented.

Her head perked up as she stared at me. "Oh yeah… then may I sit near you?" She knew that I was only a bit frustrated from the lack of sleep, so unless she did something to irritate me further, she was safe from my wrath.

"Come," I simply stated. She listened and sat by my chair. I put my hand down and gently petted her head, and she purred, especially when I scratched behind her ears. Even in the midst of my own mental nightmare, I felt relatively content with my current situation. For now, this was all I could ever ask for: a peaceful moment, frozen in time, with my dearest Gatomon. If only I could find a way to keep her as my own, to make this moment last forever. If only…


	7. Lust

**Chapter Seven- Lust**

_The snow fell, gently blanketing the grass. A touch of falling silver rested in my hand, melting instantly. The chill ran through me, and I pulled my cape in tighter to hold in the little warmth left._

_I ran away from the life I had lived. I wouldn't allow myself to love again, not after witnessing my mother's death. Every step I took hardened my heart more. My grief was immense; after all, I had just lost my whole world. The tears on my face froze the instant they appeared. I walked aimlessly, just trying to think of where to go, what to do with myself; both weren't turning up any answers._

_A fruity scent caught my attention, and I turned my head toward the delectable aroma. It led me to the outskirts of town, where two women were having a picnic on a patch of snow. They seemed to be packing up because of the flurries. The leaves on the trees were still falling, like brilliant flames slowly being extinguished._

_The two women were complete opposites, one a LadyDevimon and the other an Angewomon. They must have been sisters, maybe even twins. I was hesitant to approach them, for it was rude to interrupt them. I went against my better judgment, and asked for an orange, the scent that first brought me here. The LadyDevimon, who was holding the basket, rummaged around only to pull out an apple. She offered it to me, and in my haste, I took it and began to eat. _

_Their names were very fitting for an Angewomon and a LadyDevimon: Angelina and Lilith, who were, in fact, twins. When I had said that they were opposites, I meant it. Even in their choice of clothes, attitudes, beliefs, and especially men. For example, Angelina's husband, an Angemon named Gabriel, was an officer, dedicating to upholding the law. Contrary to Gabriel, the Devimon named Mordechi was Lilith's husband and a renegade warlord and dictator. _

_Because of this, the two girls rarely could get along. The peace between them was edgy and short-lived. The first argument I saw was who would take me home. Angelina won… for the moment. I confessed at the dinner table that night what I had done to my father and brother, and Gabriel was enraged, to say the least. He convinced me that I was a criminal, no better than my own father, and urged me to turn myself in. I refused, and this drove him into a frenzy. _

_In the next few months, I was taken through a short trial that landed me some time in a juvenile detention facility. I was supposed to stay until I was eighteen, but they cut me short when someone had offered me their home as rehab. It was Lilith who greeted me at the door, and I was thrilled to see her again. Angelina and Gabriel had taken off to a different part of the Digital World, forgetting all about me, so Lilith and Mordechi negotiated with the warden for my release. And, as I saw the tears flowing from her eyes, it was obvious that this success (and my new family) would last me for the rest of my life._

_I was wrong…_

_There was something about Lilith that I didn't realize until it was too late: She was known throughout that part of the Digital World as "The Black Widow". Mordechi was her longest-living husband of five and a half years, and he was still going strong. She always wanted to be around him, and I enjoyed his company as well. After about a week there, he took me down into his private chambers and taught me weapon control. To my surprise, I could wield the very weapons I had been abused with as a child easily. I was thirteen years old, and more powerful than my brother had been at that age. I felt invincible._

_Lilith had another scarring secret that I had also learned too late: She was a practicing pedophile. Her preference was teenage boys. I was sleeping in that morning, and when she came into my room to wake up, she kissed my forehead, as most (step) mothers do. She kissed me again, this time on the lips, slipping her tongue in every so often. I squirmed away, cursing her out. She did nothing but lock my bedroom door and silence me with kisses once more. _

_I don't know why I gave into her, but I soon learned that her lust was insatiable…_

I tried to brush the reverie out of my mind, but it had festered there, irritating me. Absorbing myself into the book left me half-focused; the quiet tranquility that I had often longed for seemed tense and uncomfortable. After much silence, Gatomon thought out loud, "You know what's interesting? If I could digivolve on my own again, and I know you'll think I'm crazy, but if I could… I'd want to be a LadyDevimon."

"You want to be a LadyDevimon? This coming from the digimon of Light?" I honestly had to scoff at the idea. It was, at the least, ridiculous to think of. The only reason I didn't laugh was that her eyes gave me a hard stare. She was serious.

Turning away, she nodded her head. "I don't know why. Like I said before, if I could digivolve on my own again, I'd just… I'm not sure how I'd feel."

This was my chance. I decided to flip ahead in my book to a page near the middle, pretending to read something incredible. I chuckled a bit and spoke, "How ironic."

She perked up her head and inquired, "What is?"

"I just turned the page and read something about a BlackGatomon digivolving just using the power of her mind. All she did was recall the feelings that she had when she first digivolved, the power coursing through her, and there was a strange pressure on the back of her neck, pushing up into her brain. The next thing she knew, she was a LadyDevimon."

She looked skeptical and dismissed the idea. "You're lying."

I gave her a dubious look and retorted, "There's no hurt in trying, now is there?"

Closing her eyes, she sprawled out onto the floor, seemingly taking my advice. The look on her face as she opened her eyes again seemed pained. "It's not working," she said fruitlessly.

"Really?" I seemed surprised and urged her to try once more. She heeded my advice, but this time, I acted as the pressure. What I had told her worked because in that instant, her body began to glow.

The light faded, and I gawked at her. She gazed up at me; her sapphire eyes had remained intact. Long, full white locks draped her shoulders, now covered in skintight black leather. Her black stilettos gave her a bit of trouble, but she kept her balance and didn't move. She stared at her gloved hands in awe. "It worked," she murmured. "I can't believe it actually worked!" Her face lit up; she was ecstatic, as was I.

"Yes, a LadyDevimon now…" I trailed off, learning how to adjust to such a change. It was strange to refer to her as a lady now, for I had always held a LadyDevimon in high regards. She had always been below me in rank, and now, to see her evolve into someone that I would consider an equal, she required a different kind of treatment. No longer would she be forced to suffer the whips and blows that would be dealt. She may not have known it, but this would be the beginning of a new life.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, snapping me out of my little daydream.

"No, nothing is wrong," I answered. I stood up and scrutinized her for a few minutes, despite her awkward glances. "In fact..." I took her hand in mine and brought it up to my face, kissing it softly. An audible gasp escaped her throat as I continued, "Everything is better now that you are here... my love."

"Love?!" she exclaimed, her heartbeat fluttering a bit. "You must be joking."

"Not at all," I finished, kissing up her arm until my lips were firmly planted on her cheek. Before she knew it, I spun her around to face me, dipped her so that her hair was inches from the ground and kissed her again, on the lips this time. Instantly, she tried to pull away, so I pulled her up and let her breathe again. It was good that I had her by her arms because she probably would have slapped me across the face for doing that. Instead, she gaped at me, shocked by what I had done.

"There's but one small detail I neglected to mention to you... you see, a newly-digivolved LadyDevimon often experiences an intense rush of lust, especially after a kiss."

Her face fell, but her blood pressure skyrocketed. Her heart raced as her mind set to change itself, to make her experience a feeling unparalleled to anything she has ever encountered in her life.

In my haste, I carried her off to a guest bedroom and set her on the bed, where she proceeded to kiss me, pulling me in and never letting me go. Her passion, her desire for me… I knew that she really did not have these feelings for me, that it was only her mind shifting itself around, but I did not care.

I bore my fangs and dug them into her neck. Her scream pierced the night air as her blood, reminiscent of liquid sugar, ran down my throat. I injected her with my venom, and every nerve of resistance weakened itself to me. She and I were now truly one. Her life was beginning anew, and I would control it.

She would be mine… forever.


	8. Selfish

**Chapter Eight- ****Selfish**

I awoke late that morning; the covers became a cocoon for LadyDevimon and me. I kept myself still so I would not disturb her. She stirred slightly and yawned a bit, seemingly unaware of what took place last night. She stretched her arms toward the headboard and turned to face me.

"Good morning, my dear," I uttered softly.

Pure astonishment was visible in her face as her mouth fell and her eyes widened. Her heartbeat picked up and her pulse was racing again. Keeping her eyes on me the whole time, she slid her hands down and wrapped them around her stomach. She brushed my arm and gasped as she got to a certain spot. My hand had been wrapped around her waist the entire time, and suddenly, she was coherent enough to comprehend what had just taken place. Her scream was enough to deafen me for life, and I truly felt for a moment that my ears were bleeding.

My hand gripped her mouth, silencing her for now. Seeing as how my hearing was now distorted thanks to her, I shouted, "Would you shut up?" I let go of her as she inched her way to the edge of the bed, away from me.

"What the hell happened? You and I didn't… you know…" She pulled her hands up and made a strange, jittery hand gesture. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

"If you are trying to ask 'Did we have sex?', then the answer is 'Of course.'"

"I can't believe you!" she hollered as she pushed me down into the bed, almost trying to choke me. "Of all the no good, rotten, dirty tricks you've ever pulled on me, this is by far the worst! OW!" She held the side of her neck as a spurt of pain shot through her. She didn't need me to tell her why her neck hurt. Living with a vampire long enough, you learned everything about them. "You bit me," she stated, a hint of disbelief in her voice. I nodded and her fingers brushed over the bite mark. She winced, and a few tears welled up in her eyes. "So… now I'm your mate?"

"Yes. It wouldn't be complete if you weren't." Two droplets fell on the sheets as she tried to control herself. "Don't fret, my dear…" I trailed off as I pulled her close. She didn't struggle, which was perfect. I kept my voice down to a whisper as I continued, "There are many benefits to being my mate. You can have everything you've ever wanted, no matter what the expense is. Others will respect you and treat you as a goddess. And soon, in a month's time, these halls will be filled with life again."

"Life?" She looked at me, an acidic tone in her voice. "You mean to tell me that not only am I your mate, but I'm pregnant too?"

I chuckled, "But of course, my darling. You do want children, don't you?"

"Not this early in life! God, I wasn't expecting my own little one for at least eight, maybe ten years!" She got up and began to dress herself again, running her fingers through her hair.

"Ten years? Your libido could never handle that." I began to do the same myself as I pulled my hair back into a tight ponytail.

She shrieked, frustrated, "You don't understand! I don't love you…and I never will!"

Here she was: my love, my bride, and soon-to-be mother of my children denying what little affection she held for me. She had to have loved me, or at least partially loved me, in order for the lust to kick in. Her trickery knows no bounds, but I assumed this deceit is common for someone who was once nothing; once a slave, always a slave.

I reasoned with her and uttered, "Fine, who has captured your heart instead?" Her eyes looked away, casting their glare skywards. I knew instantly who she was referring to: _**him**_

Instinctively, I slapped her across the face, my heart consumed by rage. "He's dead!" I shouted. "He's never coming back! Don't ever speak his name in my presence! Don't even dare to think it!" I turned my back on her, retreating into the library—my oasis, my sanctuary.

Her voice cried out as she was sprawled out onto the floor, "You monster! I hate you!" I turned to face her again, the bitter tears of anger and resentment flowing down her cheeks. I knew that what I had done was wrong, but my pride would not allow me to take back those hurtful words.

Then of course, there was him. The lowly mage who had been her friend for years seemed like such a touchy subject for her. I understand that her grief for him, her one true friend, would be immeasurable, but ten years was far too long to keep mourning. That freak had captured her heart since he had first spoken. His compassion proved to be his downfall, but even after ten years of being dead, he still has a spell cast on her. One day though, she would see things my way…

I holed myself up in the library, spending the majority of the time reading. It had calmed me enough that I no longer felt so hostile. The tense air had now cleared, and LadyDevimon thought it would be for the best to come in now.

"Myotismon?" I put my book down and faced her. Her cheeks were still red, and her puffy eyes indicated that she had just stopped crying about five or ten minutes ago. She apologized and proceeded to inform me that because I brought him up, I had upset her too much. "I know that you're right," she explained, "but I will always care about him. You knew that."

"I know, and I suppose I should apologize as well from my actions."

"Yeah…" she placed her hand on her one cheek and sighed, "You could have done without the slapping, you know."

"Forgive me for showing a little passion." We both chuckled for a bit until a knocking interrupted us. She flew to the windows at the top and looked out, for one of the library walls was part of the façade of my castle. She landed on the ground, an exuberant smile plastered across her face.

"They're here! My friends have tracked me down, and they've come to rescue me!" The enthusiasm in her voice hurt me inside, but I knew that it was a natural reaction: She was a Digidestined, and she had been waiting for them. It was her precious Kari that she was willing to make up with; a fight with Kari seemed so much better than the hellish situation that I had thrown upon her.

I smiled meekly and pretended to care. "That's wonderful," I said. Indeed, I felt ready to scream, to keep her hostage and to never let her go. And yet, I resisted, for she was technically free. She was free to make a choice whether she would stay or go. Oh sure, I could do that and keep her as my own, but only a selfish child would keep someone out of loneliness.

She cocked her head and inquired, "Are you okay? You're not going to keep me here?"

"You're not my slave anymore, or my prisoner. You are here, but you may leave whenever you wish… even if I don't wish for you to."

"Well…" she trailed off, seemingly lost in thought. I heard pounding at the door this time, which automatically made her thoughts come faster. She held my hand and our eyes locked. "You know, I don't have to tell them everything. They can't sense anything or read my mind or whatnot. They're my friends; they'll believe what I want them to believe."

"Are you saying that… you'll lie for me?"

"How does this sound? I'll tell them that I took refuge here because of a freak snowstorm. I knew you were dead, so it was completely safe to be here. The dark digivolution could be some drink that screwed me up, and it's temporary."

"That's not too bad, but what about the baby?"

"Hmm… I don't know. The drink made me pass out and now I realize that I'm pregnant?"

"Such elaborate lies, my dear, and they are to save me from existing," I patted her head and mentioned, "You're quite the little actress."

She beamed and gave me a deep kiss, which caught me off guard. It signified the end of us, that she would leave this place forever and have the baby. Perhaps she would drop it off at my doorstep, or raise it on her own. Either way, I would never see her again, and I held her close for the last time. She broke the kiss and took off for the door.

I levitated toward the window and watched her leave with Kari and two brown-haired boys. She faded away into the distance, and my heart retreated into an iron maiden. The door slammed shut as it pierced it. My heart was in pain, and it was bleeding all for her.

_So this is what it feels like_, I thought, _to die from the inside out._

Almost a week had passed since that day. My dreams brought me no consolation, for she was in every one of them, kissing me or fading from me. My whole body grew heavy and numb as I retreated into my coffin. Nothing could convince me that she would come back to see me once more. Even I knew that she would be crazy to come back. No, she was at home with her friends to comfort her and to get her through this time of chaos. She was where she belonged.

There was a knock at my door.


	9. Serenity

**Chapter ****Nine****- ****Serenity**

"You've returned," I managed, unable to comprehend why she came back. When I gave the choice to my other mates, they all took off, afraid for their lives and those of their unborn children.

"I know…" she began, "but don't read too much into it. I'm staying until the kid is born. I'm staying because… well, I'm afraid." She finished in a hushed voice, ashamed by her words. True, she did have a right to be afraid, but of whom? Certainly her friends, for they would surely disown her if they knew of the child's identity. Some friends. And if she were afraid of me instead, well, her actions were justified.

"I do admit, I am certainly a bit nervous myself," I confessed. "Truth be told, there were four before you. Each of them left the next day, not knowing that they were pregnant. All I knew were their names."

"Oh…" Her voice was nonchalant; an unnerving tranquility fell over the room, yet neither of us seemed to mind. I led her into the spare bedroom and told her that she should rest. Her eyelids grew heavy and there were prominent dark circles under her eyes. She collapsed on the bed, as if she hadn't seen one in years, and instantly drifted off to sleep, grinning.

_Thirteen years old I had been during her first encounter with me. Over time, these seemingly harmless visits became more commonplace, and soon, Lilith forgot all about Mordechi. She refused his sexual advances as our own lustful bond grew. It was exciting at the time, in my naïveté, __to live a double life, one as Mordechi's protégé, and the other as Lilith's secret lover._

_It was strange that her qualities were much like that of any mother: caring, helpful, encouraging. There was just a dark twist—her warped and distorted mind. She even convinced me that others my age had this kind of fun, and they enjoyed it as well. I believed her every word._

_The fact of the matter is that my double life was perilous, and there was no more unsettling incident than a particular dinner when I was sixteen. Every year, I would make dinner for just the two of them on the anniversary of the day she had first taken me in. This was my form of gratitude, my thanks for belonging in their home. This was also the first dinner that I haven't been sent to my room for, and instead, I set the table for three. Mordechi took his normal place and, upon seeing the extra setting, he began seething silently. _

_"He __**is**__ part of the family, no?" Lilith defended as she carved up her piece of chicken. _

_"Yes, but this is meant for just the two of us, not him," Mordechi shot back. _

_"He knows his place; there's nothing to fear. Don't act so insecure and jealous just because he is coming of age." _

_His face contorted into a look of shock. The wine he had been previously sipping shot back in the glass as he set it down and began coughing. He hissed, his eyes flaring red, "Excuse me? I am a warlord; you will respect me! I am in control at all times! I dominate everything!"_

_Her eyes casted a disdainful glare at him (which overpowered her normal sultry gaze) and muttered, "Yes, you dominate everything and everyone… except who is in bed next to you."_

_"Perhaps you're not satisfied with me anymore? I can'__t imagine why; you always did enjoy __having me around. Now, all you seem to care about is __yourself and the boy here. Hell, some nights you—__" He__ cut himself off, and Lilith and I exchanged glances, worry filled my eyes. Had he discovered our dirty little secret? For a moment, I had seen her throw a troubled look back at me before her eyes softened and she smiled. She faced him once more as he continued, "You… you're cheating on me!" _

_Still grinning, she nodded her head. "Yes, I admit to that. I am. I am restless, after all, and you were so busy being away. But, my lover and I are happy together… he's the only one that can satisfy me fully." Her cunning eyes never left his face as his mouth dropped. I winced slightly. It was a hard blow to his pride to be told that he wasn't good enough for her. _

_He bowed his head and spoke, "You betrayed me… you clever little harlot, you…__" He turned around and pointed at the front door. He screeched, "Get the hell out of my castle before I kill you!" She jumped a bit, not expecting his voice to project so loudly. In a huff, she stormed off for her room and slammed the door. _

_I got up from my seat and went to walk down to her room when a hand firmly gripped my shoulder. I turned to see Mordechi staring down at me, anger still featured in his expression. I acted more innocent and asked, "What is it, sir?"_

_"What do you think you're doing? Going after her? She's nothing but a trollop."_

_"Yes, that is true." I chose my words carefully as I continued, "Though Lady Lilith did betray you, I feel that she hasn't betrayed me. And even though you despise her completely, she was still quite a mother figure to me. I implore you__… let me speak with her one more time. Let me say goodbye." _

_He sighed heavily and said, "Well, you are staying here with me. Go on, say goodbye. Meet me downstairs for your next round of training then when you are finished. See her out." He left again, not another word spoken. I rushed off to see Lilith and found her sitting on the bed, a suitcase in her hand. _

_The only thing I could think of to say was, "None of this, I hope, was my fault."_

_She pinched my cheek a bit as she kissed the other one. __"Of course not.__ Come now, we have plans. Pack your things; you're coming with me."_

_"I can't. Mordechi said that I had to stay here with him. I have to show you out and go downstairs for training—"_

_"Enough, child."__ She pursed my lips shut and lead __me__ back into my room where I inevitably packed up my belongings. I wasn't quite sure what she was planning, but I would know that it wasn't something that I would enjoy._

Two weeks had passed since LadyDevimon came back to me. She was sleeping well, and she had grown round and healthy. Between her bouts of pain, I would care for her. Some nights, she would pull up a chair and stay with me while I was reading, the only sound emitted was the crackling wood from the fire.

One night, she had gone to bed early and I took this as an opportunity to relax, since a child would ruin this time. There was a slight breeze in the air, and the moon was a mere sliver in this night sky. The new moon was fast approaching, and by the next full moon, she would leave the child here with me. She felt that it was important to return to her old life with her friends, but not completely forsake that of her own flesh and blood. After bickering about it and defending my position, I finally conceded and respected her wishes.

A split second changed everything. That one second turned all of our carefully-laid plans into nothing but ash and smoke. Any indelible idea or thought in my mind faltered, and my mind rattled, unable to find steady ground. All it took to turn my world upside down was the slightest whiff of the most pungent and despicable odor ever created: sulfur.

How was I to know if this was a coincidence or not? The chances of one were highly unlikely. The only thing that proved my initial theory was a high-pitched scream suddenly discontinued. A chill went down my spine as I heard this, and the day where my fears were suddenly realized finally came.

He was back.


	10. Hellion

**Chapter Ten- Hellion**

I ran into LadyDevimon's room where she was sleeping soundly. She was lost in a dream, and I hated to wake her, but with the looming, immediate sense of danger present, I shook her, urging her to wake up.

"What is it?" she inquired sleepily.

"We have to leave. Now. Get your boots on; we don't have much time!" I tried to sound as calm as possible, but a hint of fear snuck out. It wasn't as though I was afraid of him, I was only afraid of what he would do to her.

She stretched a bit until my emotions ran wild again, my anxiety controlling my speech and movements. I gripped her wrists, pulling her to her feet. "Ow," she mumbled. Her first instincts were to pry herself free from my ironclad grasp, a futile effort on her part. Defending her actions, she said, "You didn't have to pull so hard. I am moving."

"Yes, but not nearly quick enough," I shot back.

She eyed me, scrutinizing my frenzied state. "What's your rush? Is the castle under siege or something?"

I was unsure of an appropriate answer for her. "Not quite."

"Then why are we leaving so quickly?"

Collecting my thoughts, I calmed myself down for the moment and replied, "I'll explain it when you are out of harm's way. For now, you will have to just trust me."

Her look inferred that she was hesitant about fully trusting me. True, she was in a vulnerable position, what with her being halfway along in her pregnancy. At this crucial stage in the game, the child's life rested in her hands. He needed to grow to survive, and if she wasn't adequately looked after, there was a sure chance both she and the boy would die.

I decided to pacify her a bit. Tilting her chin up so she could face me, I spoke softly, "Do not fear anything, for I will protect you. Both of you." Incredibly, her face lit up with a small, honest smile. I greeted her with one of my own little grins.

My ears picked up the faint sound of heavy footsteps fast approaching. He darted through the hallways, searching for me. Watching. Waiting. Just like the predator he is. My bedroom door burst open as I clutched LadyDevimon, hugging her tightly to protect her from this diseased wretch.

He stood arrogantly in the doorway, cracking his neck. Neither his skin nor his hair was any different than mine, yet our similarities ended there. He was a monster, a vicious fiend through and through, his heart blackened by Lucifer's touch, and his mind warped beyond repair. His ideals were twisted due to his conceited nature, the embodiment of one of the most powerful Demon Lords, Pride.

And then, there were his eyes. The eyes that taunted my nightmares throughout the centuries were the same eyes I now bore into. They shone a dark crimson red, like that of fresh dripping blood. The red symbolized both the weakness his prey felt as they fell under his captivating charm, and also the lust that consumed his ravaged mind. Blood and lust would forever soothe the savage beast.

"Surprised to see me again, aren't you?" His icy voice still held the slightest hint of an accent. His eyes now caught hold of LadyDevimon, and his demeanor altered into that of a gentleman. His hard eyes softened as he broke out into a big grin. Slinking over to her, he pried her body out of my grasp with ease. The second I protested, he held out his hand, palm facing me, and knocked me into the stone wall.

"Now then, my little temptress," He spoke as he gripped both of her arms tightly with his one hand, while pulling her in closer with the other, "what do you say you join the true dark side?" He pointed to me and whispered, "His power is nothing compared to mine."

She furrowed her brow, as if she were truly debating this measly offer he had quickly drawn up. I knew that he was planning to use her as a tool against me. As he predicted, most women are drawn to money and power, so of course, they would strive for the best position in the world. Luckily, he didn't know how LadyDevimon really was. She smirked a bit and replied, "As tempting of an offer that is, I'd rather not. After all, you know as well as I do that absolute power corrupts absolutely." With her last word, she brought her knee up to kick him in quite a sensitive area.

I didn't know whether to embrace her or strangle her for her foolishness. Having denied him, she kept her loyalty to me, but had officially signed her death warrant. It was wise to leave quickly before he would recover from such an attack (if one could call it that).

I picked myself up and sprinted over to her, grumbling a superfluous, "I told you so."

She gave me a critical look and dryly remarked, "I've noticed. Let's just get out of here." I would have taken my time if he were truly knocked out, but that was not the case; he was incapacitated for only a few moments. She ran out the door ahead of me, and I tried to follow closely behind. Alas, that was not the case. My father clutched my ankle for a moment, almost making me trip. I swiftly pulled out my whip and cracked it over his arm, which was just enough to break free.

"Where do we go?" She hollered from down the hall.

Running up to meet her, I pulled her along as we made our way to the outside. "Anywhere but here."

Through the halls, up one staircase, and out the door lead us outside to my carriage. She quickly rushed in, as did I. Though I had been dead for quite some time, there were still a Phantomon or two that roamed the usually desolate corridors. One of them was our driver, and as we headed off, I wrapped her in my arms and prepared for a long journey.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"He's your _father_?"

I decided that LadyDevimon deserved to hear the truth, especially after leaving him in such a debilitating state. I nodded my head and added sarcastically, "Can't you tell the family resemblance?"

"Ha ha ha, very funny. I just don't believe it. He's so arrogant and snooty and—oh wait, now I see it." She gave me a playful shove, her form of jesting, though I did not smile. I was more concerned with other matters. Questions raced throughout my mind: Had he followed us? If so, what was he planning? And why was he back from the dead? The only answers I could come up with were more or less crackpot theories, especially on my last question. Time would reveal the answers though. I just had to be patient.

"LadyDevimon, be reasonable here. You do realize that my father is a vicious vampire who would want nothing less that to see me suffer, to see my fate hang in the balance, to watch me die by his hands."

"I know that. What I'm wondering is how crucial I am to his stupid plot."

"Trust me. Now that he's discovered you, he'll use you to his advantage, especially if I react to anything he tries, which will happen. If I don't, well, then you will just be another expendable pawn… or a mate. He'll try that again as well."

Her hand flew up to her neck, shielding it from any imaginary attacks. She swiftly brought it back down to rest on her lap, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I'm worried. We'll have to face him sometime. We can't just keep running forever." Gazing into my eyes, she questioned, "What's the plan then?"

Plan? I hadn't quite thought one out yet, not fully at least. Hoping not to give away my little folly, I simply retorted, "I've decided that you would be far better off if you remained unseen. Out of sight, out of mind, correct?"

"Sure," she muttered incoherently. She bit her nail and tried to distract herself from what was happening, but it was of no use. Her mind seemed so far away, yet she scooted closer to me. Her eyes and her body sent mixed messages, and I was hesitant on how to respond. Instinctively, I draped my arm around her shoulder, pulling her in a bit closer. She leaned her head on me as I enveloped her with my cape. In what seemed like only five or ten minutes, she fell asleep, exhausted by what today had brought.

I, of course, could not sleep. I was ever so vigilant for any signs that we were in a pressing situation, but I found none. My eyes grew heavy, and I looked out to the horizon for any clues on what the hour was. It must have been early morning, for the skies shone a lighter blue than the dreary grey-blue night sky. Dawn was fast approaching, and I—_we_—needed a place to sleep.

The carriage came to a halt in a clearing. All around us was dense forest. We had flown far from my homeland, to northern Server, which was known for its thick woodland areas and frigid snow-capped mountaintops. The driver took off as soon as we left the carriage, taking off for the east to confuse him. There was no going back now.

At one time, Northern Server had been a temperate, hospitable climate, but as the cold rushes came more frequently, many abandoned their homes, voyaging south into warmer, more permanent dwellings. I had scouted out such a house, moving LadyDevimon and I into it before the first rays of sunrise spread across the land.

The home was a small house left in a frenzied state. Apparently, a heavy snowfall made the roof of this home cave in, bringing down the entire second floor with it. Only one room seemed somewhat welcoming, and that was the living room. It even had a fireplace, and a dusting of snow on top of the wood aside of it that could be burned for warmth. That is, if I could even start the fire.

Setting LadyDevimon down on the floor, I found some small, spare blankets strewn around the couch. I used every last one of them and wrapped her up, much like a caterpillar does when it creates its cocoon. Finally, I pulled her in close to me and scooted the two of us underneath some of the wreckage. I could fight off the cold indefinitely, but I knew that I couldn't take that risk with her. She was not well equipped to fight off the chilly temperatures as I was. If I dared to try, I would be gambling with Death.

The day both flew and dragged on as I tossed and turned uncomfortably. Somehow, I knew that something was wrong, but I just could not put my finger on it. My mind was missing an important piece to the puzzle, a crucial part that must be discovered by any means necessary.

Night fell, and the piece became clear, but it was far too late to act. As LadyDevimon tried her best not to shiver while I started a fire, it suddenly occurred to me as I heard the crack of a whip. Both of us looked up to see my father landing gently on his feet behind us. I seem to have forgotten that he not only could fly farther than I could, but he also had a sharper sense of tracking than me as well.

"We meet again," he started, "and this time, I will not be so benevolent!" He whipped at my arm, but thankfully, I reacted quickly enough so that he avoided my face. LadyDevimon was not so lucky, as it caught her face on the backlash. She cried out, clutching her cheek, hoping not to attract a hungry vampire's attention. Again, useless.

He licked his lips fervently, hardly denying his bloodlust. We both reacted to the blood in a different manner. My reaction came swifter than his as I blocked his attack on her. We both tried to drive the other one into the wall, but with no such luck on either side. Instead, he tried to bite my neck to weaken my grip. He succeeded.

The initial attack set off these receptors in my brain as I fell to the ground in a heap, clutching my neck to stop the bleeding, even though the blood seeped through my fingers. I can't recall if I screamed out in pain or not, but I sure hope I didn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me hurt.

He dragged LadyDevimon away as she called out my name fearfully, apprehensive to what my father's next move would be. I hastily picked myself up and kicked off of the ground, levitating slightly in the air. I knew that if I had any energy left, it was going to fix my wound, but it would take a while. LadyDevimon needed my help now, so I was ready to unleash my fury on him, but I stopped.

He restrained her and forcefully arched her neck, his saber-like fangs barely grazing the skin. "Attack me, and I shall destroy your little harlot faster than you can pull out your whip. Keep that in mind, _boy_." I loathed the way he always referred to me as a child, even though I was fully grown this time. He continued, "Come with me willingly, and I shall give her back unharmed."

He wasn't to be trusted under any circumstances. Almost every word out of his mouth was a lie. And yet, he was holding my love and my future son in his very grasp. I had no choice. If I were to get LadyDevimon back, I had to cooperate with his demands for now. Only for now. As soon as I regained my power, I would rebel against him once more. I landed, bowing my head and nodding solemnly, looking up once to see a horrified look on LadyDevimon's face. I winked a bit, indicating the deceitful plan I had in mind.

The last thing I remembered was my father gone in a flash. I dashed over to LadyDevimon, but I didn't make it. A blow to my head left me injured and I fell to the ground in shock. I looked up one last time to see the two of them, both with contrasting expressions. Hers showed fear, and his portrayed the look of a treacherous criminal. The world spun rapidly and grew dark, as I remembered no more.


	11. Trigger

**Chapter Eleven- Trigger**

My head was nothing more than a persistent throbbing as I opened my eyes. There in front of me was LadyDevimon, her arms chained to a rafter above her. She seemed to be asleep, or knocked out. Either way, I still wished to be by her side, to comfort her.

I could tell by the way I was positioned that I was sitting. I moved my legs first, but they didn't budge. Then I tried to move my arms, which, amazingly, did move with me, even though they were shackled as well. I pulled a bit, and felt some tension in the chains. Not realizing why it was that way, I yanked my arms forward in an effort to break the chains.

A painful tingling sensation flew through my entire body that concentrated itself around my ankles, wrists, and my neck. My body tried to push itself away from the source of the pain, the chains that bound themselves tightly around me. My blood became electrified as the bite mark from earlier stung worse than if it was being burned. Only when it stopped a minute later did I realize that I had been electrocuted, and my injury _was_ burned.

I breathed rapidly, trying my best to dismiss the pain. A soft voice spoke my name, and as I looked up and took another peek at LadyDevimon, I realized that she was in her own agonizing state. Tall, thin blades encircled the area around where she was forced to stand. They were so close that if she so much as brought her leg up too far, it would slice her knee open. Her face showed that she was absolutely horrified at the sight. "Help me," she cried out. "Please, help me. He'll come back soon, I just know it."

There was apparently another chain around my neck, yet I nodded slightly, hoping not to upset the electrical system. I gripped the arms of my chair in anger, my claws digging into the wood. I absolutely hated being kept restrained this way. It was humiliating, and demoralizing. My father had used my own torture devices against me. A thought struck me: If they were _my _torture devices, then I knew their weak points. If only I could remember…

The door banged open, and my father sauntered around like he owned **my** castle. He came to me first, to make sure I was hurt. He picked up my head and made me stare into his despicable eyes again. I bared my fangs, a deep growl rising in my throat. He let me go and slapped me, cursing me out in his own demonic tongue. I shrugged off the pain and continued not staring at him. Instead, I observed the room for any areas that I could use as an easy escape. My eyes fell upon a boarded up window on the wall behind LadyDevimon, which was sealed up seamlessly. Not a hint of light got through.

My father saw my interest in this and took a look at it. I had cursed myself mentally for looking there, for I knew what he was planning. The boards were torn off with ease, and the midday sun poured in, the beams of light reaching my face. I thrashed about, for the light seemed to set my eyes ablaze. I had triggered the electric chair, and felt the twinges pulsate through me. To have your retinas burned out of your eyes is bad enough, but the electricity pulsing through my veins increased the pain to the point where I could not stop myself from screaming.

"Enjoy the view." He was a vampire of few words, for his actions were loud enough. LadyDevimon was next to be tortured, and he would be worse on her. I slumped down in my chair, and my arm twitched spasmodically. Slowly but surely, I would lose all control of my body. He pulled a lever on the wall and the blades retracted themselves, so he could get close to her without being sliced open.

He stroked her cheek in an attempt at mock-pity. She felt no pity when she bit down on his hand, unable to break through the skin. What a shame. To see his blood flow freely would surely make this pain more bearable. I could feel the energy evaporating off of me. I knew that I would need to feed soon, or face starvation.

At her bite, he backhanded her with the affected hand. She cried out, not just out of pain, but also out of shock. Of course he threatened her, but he hadn't struck her until now. He wrapped his arms around her and hissed, "If you even think about kicking me again, I shall personally see to it that your lover pays dearly." Emphasizing his point, he extended a pale finger in my direction as he spoke.

Her eyes cast downward as she fidgeted out of his grasp, determined to fight him with every fiber of her being, as was I. I was ready to lunge for him, to rip him to shreds like a rabid wolf. And yet, I calmed myself. My father had an uncontrollable temper, and she was already a hothead; there was no need for me to get involved in this fiery mess. I've noticed that she hadn't had as much fire in her as I remembered, but she probably figured that too much would get her whipped worse than when she was a Salamon.

My anger could not be calmed as I watched him move one of his hands up to the back of her head. He pushed her forward with such force, and my jaw dropped at the sight. He was _**kissing**_her?! 'Why?' was the first question that sprung to mind. I jerked on my chains, which once more became strained. I dare not drag them out any further, for some of this pain was truly excruciating. It seemed like no matter how much she tried to fight and scream, her cries went unheeded.

_The cries went unheeded… like someone else from the distant past…_

No! I had to pull myself together. Letting my mind bring up past memories will do nothing but destroy me quicker. LadyDevimon was not faring well; her screams were louder, and he hadn't let her go. Finally, silence filled the room. She stared at him, shell-shocked and unable to move a muscle. He had a smug smirk on his face as he licked his lips again. This time was not out of bloodlust, but just pure lust.

The lust… Lady Lilith and her insatiability… 

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

_Lady Lilith decided that the first thing she should do after leaving our baggage on her front porch for the world to see was to apply a thick layer of black lipstick. I remember when I first came to her house; I had snooped around in her room. She had many lipstick containers, all beautiful hues of reds and mauves, except for one black container on the very end. She slapped my hand the second I had touched it and said, "Little boys should not touch a woman's personal belongings, especially one this dangerous."_

_Only now would I learn what was so dangerous about the lipstick. _

_I crept down into the cellar and calmly addressed Mordechi, "Sir, though you are quite furious with Lady Lilith, she has requested a small favor from you."_

_He halted his dagger practice and glared angrily at me, "And that would be?"_

"_It is nothing very demanding; she merely wishes to say goodbye to you."_

"_Never." He went back to his training, and I knew that I had failed her. _

_My mind couldn't censor myself from saying, "No!" He eyed me over gravely. No one ever tells a lord 'no', so I quickly continued, "Lord Mordechi, hear me out. I had already lost one mother, and no one ever said goodbye to her. They had all forsaken her like she was nothing. Please, don't make me relive the pain…" I admit that I did lie to him, but I was desperate. As long as he couldn't see the lies that were scrawled all over my face, I was safe. I tried my best to appear vulnerable, and my little trick paid off._

"_Fine, I will go. You, child, will have to work twice as hard on your weapon training. I would like some more accuracy with that whip you're so hesitant to touch."_

_I replied with a fervent, "Yes, sir!" and escorted him up the stairs to Lady Lilith._

_She was standing in the doorway of the living room, a sullen look cast upon her face. The light of the moon reflected off of her black corset, and made the black lipstick look more dramatic, but faded at the same time. She ran up to him, hugging him softly, stifling her tears. "I'm sorry," she mumbled as she buried her face into his chest. He patted her back softly. I had hoped that this was an attempt to get back together with him. The second he pushed her away, the idea flew out of my mind. _

_He turned to me and spoke, "I've said goodbye. Now, let's go!"_

_She grabbed his arm, pulled him in close, and whispered, "Shut up and kiss me." They did so, his hands caressing her back, and her one hand pushing his head deeper into the kiss. It seemed so romantic (and disgusting too, might I add), yet something was wrong. During the entire kiss, he did nothing but cry out in pain. His screams were muted when she held him close. It was strange to think that Mordechi had enough power to wield a sword, and yet he could not escape her grasp. That was until I realized that she had pulled the dagger out of his belt and was slitting the back of his throat. _

_My stomach churned as she dropped his lifeless body onto the floor with a sickening thud. I winced at the sight of his condition. His lips were sizzling, almost as if he was foaming at the mouth, and the blood streamed out of his lips where she had bit him. Imprinted on his lips was a smear of black._

"_Come now child," she cooed as she cleaned off the dagger, "we must continue."_

_I was willing to rebel against her, but my body disagreed with me. My mind paralyzed every limb I thought I had control over, for I was in complete shock. I knew Lilith was malicious, and her cunning nature was like that of her higher form, Lilithmon, but to actually witness her Black Widow state was something completely new for me to behold. Could it be that the next part of her plan didn't include me?_

_She came back from the kitchen, stepping over the small pool collecting on the floor near Mordechi's neck. I did nothing but look away; the sight of her repulsed me. I do not know why, for I knew she had killed and would continue. My only hope was that I was not the next one on her list. I couldn't resist asking her, "Lilith, how could you not give into the poison? It was all in the lipstick. Shouldn't you have been affected too?"_

_She chuckled airily and replied, "My very first husband ten years ago tried to poison me with a deadly combination of arsenic and cyanide. Amazingly, I was spared, so I got back at him. Every subsequent husband receives one last kiss, the Death Kiss." With a lit match in her one hand, she carelessly tossed it over her shoulder into the house as we walked out. Instantly, the house went up into flames._

_I turned to face the inferno, the glow and warmth of the blaze radiating onto my face. A small peek into the bag I had packed revealed my meager, yet precious belongings: a pair of clothes, the red mask my mother gave me, a small satchel of gold coins, and my whip, a present from Mordechi for my sixteenth birthday. I couldn't help but shed a few tears for him. Though he had discovered the tryst between Lady Lilith and I, he was still important to me. He lacked patience and was strict, yet he was an exceptional teacher. He was a diligent and devoted figure that, had I been his true son, I would have been proud to call my father. Oh, if only he had known my mother!_

"_Viktor!" Lilith's gradient voice snapped. "We have no time to sit here and stare! We must catch the ferry to File Island!"_

_File Island… I had never heard of such a glorious place. Perhaps there was still a chance for me to redeem myself, for as she hauled me away from the fire, I only thought of how it would feel to burn forever in the flames of Hell._

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

LadyDevimon's whimpers slowly coursed me out of my withdrawn state, and I noticed that we were alone. Why? Why had I let my conscience get the best of me, allowing me to drift forever in my memories? Why had my father left us alone, now of all times, at night? And as I noticed that LadyDevimon was sprawled out on the floor, why had he let her go?

Night… my mind had wandered for hours. I had left her in his hands, at his mercy! I drowned myself in the oceans of shame, berating myself for such an insipid mistake. Pathetically, I spoke. "LadyDevimon, I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

She slowly perked her head up, her face smeared with dirt and dried blood. She rebuked, "You're sorry? 'Sorry' didn't make him stop whipping me, you know! It didn't stop him from accosting me with his stupid advances, and it didn't stop him from running his mouth and calling me a whore, a slut, a little hellion! If you were truly sorry, you'll find a place out of this—this hellhole!—and you'll kill him!"

I was shocked by her words. She had every right to be angry with me, and yet I shot back, "Don't you think I'm working on that? In case you haven't noticed, there isn't much I can do to stop him until I learn how to stop the electricity first!"

"You could at least get him away from me! I can't stand it every time he tries to kiss me. It's like making a deal with some scumbag demon!"

Finally, we could agree on something. "That's him, LadyDevimon. A demon."

A small silence passed between us as she crawled over to me, trying her best to lean up against my chair. She rested her head on my leg and sighed heavily. I would assume that she was suppressing her tears, her anger, and every volatile emotion she had.

"What are you thinking?" I asked inquisitively.

"I'm thinking that if I had a gun right now, I'd pull the trigger on him."

I laughed wholeheartedly. It was a ridiculous concept: the bullets would do nothing against a vampire like him. Even if they embedded themselves into his muscles, he would just heal around them. When she turned to look back at me, almost angry that I had shot down her idea, I countered, "A gun would do nothing to him. But a crossbow… that's a different story."

"Alright," she contented, "make it a crossbow. I don't care how we kill him, just kill him." She nuzzled into my leg, and despite the pain shooting throughout my knee, I was fairly comfortable where I was. I would eradicate that heathen soon enough.


	12. Disillusioned

**Chapter Twelve- Disillusioned**

The hunger pangs came first. They drove themselves to the front of the line, and as time passed, they soon became my first priority. All I had to do was keep myself calm enough to fend off his sadistic teasing. I was already successful for the first few days. In an effort to keep me in a disheveled, chaotic state of mind, he would make small cuts on LadyDevimon's arms. The scent of her blood would linger in the air for hours, even after he was finished with us, and it kept me on high alert. It wasn't until my fourth day that I began to sense how strong the bloodlust truly was.

My father came in once more, but this time, he was not alone. Accompanying him was an Angewomon who was—dare I say it—stunning. My eyes lingered to LadyDevimon, an uneasy glance present on her face. The Angewomon, with her ubiquitous compassion, ran to her doppelganger first. My only hope was that she could free my beloved, but I knew it was a long shot. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the monster smirk with delight as the two girls interacted with one another. I wish to never know what he was thinking, for only the perverse deviants would understand.

Hesitantly, she made her way over to me. I could sense the wave of dread she felt as she approached. Her tentative nature was, well… natural. I was forced to keep myself in check, for I could smell that my father had bitten her early in the morning. The dried blood… I mustn't. The taste would not be worth it; his venom tainted the sweet liquid. Yet when she craned her head over to check behind my chair for a cord or switch, I held my breath. 

It was unavoidable. I shouldn't, I couldn't, but I knew that holding myself out and keeping myself starved would be a more excruciating death than just begging for mercy. My pride and ambition is what kept me this way. The fact that I would never allow myself to succumb to my father's cruelty kept me alive. And of course, I had an obligation, a promise to uphold. Not just for LadyDevimon and my child, but to myself.

_Never would I allow myself to die begging for my life like a slave. I had been there once before, and there was no way in Hell I would die like one. Never…_

I twitched, belligerently combating the urge to fade away again, no matter how pleasing it would be to relive one of my conquered hells instead of this one. I noticed how the Angewomon gaped at my father, completely horrified by what she had observed. Finally, she spoke, "Why? Why have you brought me here, Vladimir?" With no response from him, she frantically searched for an answer in her limitless questions. "Am I next? What did I do to upset you? If I've done anything to you, I'm sorry, but please… don't kill me!" She fell to her knees, begging with all her might.

It was useless now. She was his. There was no hope for LadyDevimon and me.

He took on a priest-like façade and solaced, "Arise, child. You have nothing to fear, for these heathens brought it upon themselves." It seemed that the Angewomon was relieved by his words, and I was honestly stumped by what I had just witnessed. How could she have been so daft? Foolish angels, in all their innocence… the fallen are much more astute.

Infuriated by his words, LadyDevimon shot back a warning to her counterpart, "Don't listen to him! He's a freakin' liar who will use you to his advantage! If you know what's good for you, you'll run!" Angewomon didn't have a chance, for the second she turned to face the door, she faced my father instead, who was blocking the only exit.

"You don't honestly believe that little whore, do you?" He said in an eloquent, but twisted manner. Angewomon took a quick look at us; a perturbed expression was imprinted on her face, but she then instantly shook her head. He grinned, a bad sign. Again, her purity was now contaminated with his poisonous touch. 

What he did next disturbed me, for even I wasn't expecting it. He lunged for her, the one who was too naive to have any qualms about him, and bit into her neck with such a force, it knocked her onto the cold, stone floor. She tried struggling, itching to get away, but his grip was like trying to bend a steel girder. Not a minute passed before he was finished with his little toy, abandoning her on the floor about three feet from my chair. The door echoed as he left the room, leaving the two of us untouched for now.

My will was faltering, as I couldn't resist the sweet aroma of liquid sugar. Her features that contorted into a look of absolute fright became etched into my mind. I couldn't care less at the time whether she was once living (or still alive?) or not. I was starving. And when one is starved, they will get their food by any means necessary. 

My legs were absolutely useless, seeing as how they were chained to the chair, and I had limited movement with my arms and neck. I reached around the chair for anything I could use to pull her close when it struck me: Did he disarm me or not? 

It would have been the intelligent thing to do, but for some reason, I still had my whip on me. I suppose a whip isn't much use to one who can't really move. Slowly, I pulled it off of me, since it was wrapped around my waist. I was surprised that he didn't take it, which led me to another thought: This wasn't my whip, just a cheap knock-off.

I didn't care. Cracking the whip, it landed wrapped around her arm. Not a good area, but it would hold until I pulled her over here. This was a process I had to repeat almost ten to twelve times to get her within arms reach, which came at a price as I was electrocuted again reaching down for her. My body grew numb to the pain, and after a while, it felt like a dull shock. 

The second I got her up onto my lap, I began to feed. Instead of diving right for her neck, I went for her wrist instead. Her pulse was thready, yet still there, indicating that she was still alive. Her blood, though refreshingly sweet, had an acidic, bitter snap to it. As I took more than necessary, I could perceive her unspoken pleas for the nightmare to end. The silent tears rolled down her cheeks, drenched in the light of the setting sun. A tinge of remorse seeped through me, and I had figured that if he was dastardly enough to let her bleed to death, I would be benevolent enough to be her Angel of Mercy.

"No, please…" She tried to beg, but I covered her mouth softly.

"Don't be afraid of me. I'll make sure that you don't have to wait for death."

"I can't. I'm afraid to die." Her words broke my heart, touching the very depths of my soul I had thought to be nonexistent, a figment of my wretched imagination. 

"Death is nothing to be feared, but in your case, embraced. You are an angel who made a mistake. Unless you did something horrific in your life, you'll be fine." She seemed to accept my words, and tried to let herself go, but her agony prevented her from dying completely. 

With a ravaged mind and a heavy heart, I covered her nose with my other hand. She twitched a bit, and struggled slightly, but I tried to soothe her, to make it easier. "It's alright," I whispered, trying to dam up my emotions. I could sense the quiver in my words, and as she lied there limp, she smiled slightly, as if to give thanks for the swift death.

I held her close and hid from LadyDevimon, for I did not want her to see me in such a devastated condition. The trembling in my throat now formed into a choked sob as my own tears began to stain my outfit. The tears… I hadn't felt such a dire need to cry since I lost my mother. Sure, there were moments when tears would form and seldom roll down my cheek, but this nameless angel struck my heart so deep, but why? 

Perhaps it was because of the fact that she was so much like my mother. Her naïveté, her innocence, resembled my mother too. It was conceivable that my father picked her to torture me with, since I seemed to not respond to the physical brutality LadyDevimon and I had endured. But the emotional trauma was a vicious reality I was forced to face… yet I could hardly bear it. 

"Myotismon?" Her voice was unmistakable, and as I lifted my head up to face her, I tried to wipe away the tears. She sighed heavily and muttered, "Great. You're crying too?"

"Indeed I am, though I'm not proud of it." I tried to brush it off as something inconsequential; no such luck from her constant glare. I poured my heart out and said in a hush, "That Angewomon reminded me too much of my mother, and I just couldn't stop myself from breaking down. That's all, I promise you."

"Alright, if you say so." She accepted it, as I'm thankful that she did. There was more to the story than I had originally let on, but I was petrified. It was only my father, a foe that I had defeated as a child, but the emotional trauma had run so deep that it shook the very foundations of my new life. 

The clanging sound down the hall traveled to my ears. He was coming back, and he had something metallic with him. I tried desperately to hide the whip from him, lest he try to take it away. I heard the clanging sound again. The only thing that I could think of my father wielding that had metal on it was a spiked whip. Not that. _Anything but that…_

The Angewomon had fully digitized just as he slammed the door open. I slumped in my chair and began drumming my fingers on the arm of it, acting as though I was still hungry. He threw a nasty glare at me, but I stared him down and didn't stop. In fact, just to irritate him more, I rapped on the chair louder. 

He took out the whip, and I was reckless enough to sneer at him. He was starting to get a bit cocky, and all I did was match wits with him. LadyDevimon merely shook her head at me and said, "Myotismon, what do you think you're doing?" He aimed at me and I tensed, expecting the blow. What I didn't expect was her chilling scream.

Opening my eyes, I was shocked to see that he had deliberately missed me and struck her with the spiked whip instead. I winced as I saw that they had dug into the back of her calf. With a malicious smirk, he pulled them out with such ferocity; I was surprised he didn't take her whole leg along with it. 

He covered her leg with a wet rag, and her screams faded into whimpers and sniffles. She bit her bottom lip so badly that it bled. My mind raced as I could only imagine what he had coated that rag in: salt water, gasoline, turpentine… the possibilities were infinite. 

He eyed her slightly, and she avoided his gaze, so he turned her head to face him. Their eyes locked for a moment as her expression changed from pain to horror. What in the world was he doing to her? After a minute, he said only one word: "Well?" She glanced at me and mouthed something, and then turned to kiss him. The fire in my heart was fueled to kill him in a furious rage. He had intimidated her to do this, he must have. 

Content with such a passionate kiss, he undid her chains and threw her to the floor, leaving the room in a rush. After the final echoes of the door slamming shut faded, her sobs filled the air. What had he shown her to break her like this? She couldn't hide the fact now that it was out in the open: he had broken her. Perhaps that was part (or most) of the reason why she was laying on her side, curled up in the fetal position. 

"LadyDevimon… can you move?" My voice was soft as I tried coaxing her to come to me. Her sobs discontinued as she rolled over to face me, nodding her head slowly. Acting on her notion, she crawled over to me, and ripped the rag off of her leg. 

"Damn salt water… it burns so badly." She curled up, leaning her tired head on my leg. 

Cautiously approaching the subject, I inquired, "What did he show you?"

"At first, he told me mentally that I was going to kiss him. He probably assumed I would fight him, so he showed me a picture of your mother getting…um…" Her voice started out strong, almost matter-of-factly, but at the mention of my mother, it was inaudible. Peering into her mind, I knew exactly what she was trying not to say. She continued tentatively, "He said that if I denied him his kiss now, he would drag me back into his room and… and…" 

"It's alright. I'm glad you did it, and I'm not angry with you." I couldn't let her confront that distant reality and break down anymore, so I patted her head softly. 

She nudged my leg softly. "I'm so hungry. The baby won't stop kicking me."

"Don't worry, I know exactly what he needs. He needs blood too, and it will help tide you over a bit as well." She looked at me incredulously, her features soaked in skepticism. If she didn't feed, neither she nor the baby would survive, so I added, "It's the only way. Drink from me."

"Why you? You just fed. Won't I put you back in that deprived state?"

"Perhaps. But I think it's important that you drink too. Take as much as you need; after all, you are drinking for two." Still slightly shaken, she climbed up onto my lap and took her first bite. Before, to subdue the cravings, I slipped a vial of blood into her wine, but after four or five days without a drink, I'm surprised she didn't mention anything sooner. 

She took more than I expected, but just as I was beginning to feel a strain on my heart, she stopped, gasping for air. With a satisfactory smile on her face, she snuggled up to me, leaning her head on my shoulders. I stared up into the deep abyss of the ceiling when I noticed that we weren't in somewhere underground, but we were in one of the infrequently used tower dungeons. Another fact that I had missed was that I didn't use them for a reason: They were easy to escape from for the average tunneling digimon. There were also secret passageways to other dungeons roomed down below the depths of the castle. 

There was a rumbling from up above, and I assumed there was a storm fast approaching. My deduction was correct as I glanced around to find a few drops plopping onto the stone floors. The roofs were leaky. What a perfect feature. Tilting my own head to meet hers, I spoke softly, "LadyDevimon, don't you worry about a thing. Leave everything to me, my darling. I have a plan."


	13. Liberation

Chapter Thirteen- Liberation

**Chapter Thirteen- Liberation**

Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop. I was seriously entertaining myself watching the little droplets of water plunge from the ceiling into a forming puddle beside my chair. It had shocked me that hours had passed and not a noise came from LadyDevimon. Hesitantly, I nudged her, worried that she had fallen into a coma or something irrational. She groaned a bit, her eyes fluttering open.

I managed a forced smile and said, "Good morning, dear. Are you feeling alright?"

"Not really, but better than yesterday, er… earlier. Whatever." I couldn't blame her for screwing up the time of day right now, seeing as how the rainstorm blocked out the sun. What a wonderful gift for today. I had spent all last night thinking up my plan, going through all the little details. Oh, how I hoped that it would work. It had to, for the other option was death. All I needed was a distraction to put my plan into action.

A bang down the hall indicated that Father was fast approaching. He must have been infuriated because I could hear his boots at the end of the hall. LadyDevimon, taking the hint, crawled back to her spot on the floor, pretending to be asleep. The door swung open, and I slouched again, this time not to agitate him, but because of my fatigue.

He eyed her, a malicious intent marking his face. She met his gaze, and another mental battle ensued, but this time, I could pick up part of the frequency. He had reiterated his point from last night, but there was more force behind his offer, which was an order now. He did not want a simple, yet passionate kiss from her. No, he wished for something more sinister. She had a choice: become his sex slave, or become a drained, lifeless corpse; by the defiant look on her face, I'd say that the second option looked promising.

Breaking the stare, he locked eyes with me and informed me of the offer, in case I had not picked up the silent conversation. He added out loud so we could all hear, "This is not her choice. This is yours."

"What?" I was aghast at his words. How could I choose which one would be the more merciful decision? Neither option bore an ounce of benevolence. I caught a glance at her. The sullen look on her face haunted me. How far she had come only to die, an innocent pawn killed out of misplaced aggression between rivaling kings. I would never allow such an atrocity to occur. Either option for her would end in death, so I decided that, as low as my heart sank to say it, I would have to pick the one that would bide me a little more time.

He interrupted my thoughts by saying, "If you do not choose one, I will."

I snapped, "Fine, take her!" After her squeal of strife and heartache, I spoke yet again, my voice dipping down into a gritty, demonic tone, "But know this. If you do not show leniency, I will see to it that you die in the most horrific fashion a vampire can!" I snarled viciously as my blood boiled. The hatred and wrath wrapped itself around me as my heart was slowly consumed in the red haze.

He did nothing but slap me across the face and muttered, "Petulant boy." Turning my head toward the door, I caught one last glimpse of LadyDevimon screaming as she was dragged out of the room. I winked, showing her that she would be fine. Somehow she did not believe me because she continued her shrieking. All for the best, I suppose.

I waited a few moments, biding my time. It was hard for me to tell my father that he could have her; after vying for her for more than a week, she would have no choice but to comply with his lustful demands. My nails dug into the chair, hollowing out small holes. Why her? Why did he need her? I'd gladly take a stake to the heart if he could never touch her again.

The steady rain dripped on my head, and after being irritated by it for too long, I shook it off, sighing deeply. "Are you ready?" I vocalized, though there was no one there. It was all psychological preparation for the impending doom. A strange voice answered back, _Let's do it! _My conscience came out, backing me in this dangerous plan. How ironic that it should do this for me instead of evoking painful memories that destroy me. The hole in the roof grew bigger, which led to more rainfall, soaking not only me, but also the chains holding me back. Perfect.

I took a deep breath and yanked on the chains. The water and the electricity made the shock so powerful, as bad as the first time. I clenched my teeth, my fangs shredding my lips, making the saliva and the blood become electrified. The high voltage felt as if it would tear my body into two, and yet I kept pulling, increasing the pressure on them. Just as the force of feeling faint was beginning to become present, the chains around my arms and neck snapped.

I sprung forward, almost falling face first into the floor had it not been for the chains around my ankles. They were now severely weakened, and I only had to move a bit. They were easy enough to break. The success of my plan sent me into an adrenaline rush. I pulled a dagger out of my boot, surprised a bit to still find myself fairly armed, and charged out of the room. Pumped up like this made me immune to the pain, yet even through this fog, I could feel some pain in my legs. Walking would be difficult when this wore off. I tried not to let this faze me too much. I was her Prince Charming coming to rescue her from the evil dragon, or however those ridiculous, inane fairy tales went.

My senses kicked into overdrive as I flew down the hallway faster than ever, instinctively knowing where he had been housing over the past week or so. He poisoned the air with his pungent scent, the sulfuric serpent of Death. I kicked down the door in a whirlwind and tossed the dagger at him like a shuriken. What luck. It didn't impale him through one of his wandering hands like I had hoped, but it did cut his arm and pinned his sleeve of his shirt to the wall. That should keep him busy for a bit.

Surveying the room, I found LadyDevimon's limbs tied to the bedposts, trying to smile a bit. Her torn top and pained face spoke to me louder than any words: I came just in time. I stroked her hair, the ends clumped together by blood, thankful that she was okay. For now, of course. The real battle was yet to come.

He glanced at me, a glazed look in his eyes. I despised that smug look he upheld. He now held my dagger, a grievous, foolish mistake I will never make again. I still carried that imitation whip, so I supposed that was a slight advantage; that is, if I could keep up with his speed and stamina.

Pulling out another dagger of his own, he charged at me, and I shot out of his way, landing on the other side of the bed. He repeated his actions, only this time increasing his speed. Dodging became an issue that was impossible to address, because as he kept getting faster, I was losing energy. What was I to do? If physical characteristics were to his advantage, perhaps psychological could be mine.

He started the conversation for me by saying, "Why don't you just give up, boy? There's no way that you could beat me in your condition."

"Not a chance in Hell would I forfeit to you," I retorted. "Speaking of Hell, it must have been nice. I am sure Lucifer misses having his favorite toy around him." He growled, a wonderful sign on my part. It showed that I was ebbing away at him like high tide on the shore, so I continued by adding in sarcastically, "Give me a chance, Daddy. I'll let you see him again."

"Au contraire. I'm not the one dying, you are. And really, wouldn't you want to bury your face in your mother's lap again?" I wasn't sure whether to take that at face value or if it had some deeper meaning.

"I'm sure the Prince of Darkness wouldn't mind having you back home with him. Go cry to him, you vicious pariah."

"Dim-witted boy, that's not at all what I meant!"

"Then explain yourself, hellion!"

He slinked over to me and uttered the most disturbing phrase he has ever spoken. I knew he was perverted, but I didn't know his mind dwelled so low in the gutter to call me out on such a slanderous (and phony) charge. He whispered coolly into my ear, "Dear boy, don't you realize how badly your mother wants you? She's been waiting decades just so you could mature to show you how you can grow up and really be a man." His despicable insinuation was one of the worst offenses imaginable: incest.

I couldn't move for my mind could not even comprehend those words. I clutched my head in agony. My brain pounded so badly, I thought I would explode with more power than a volcano. I shook, and the room felt oddly cold. Nausea took its course and I wanted to retch. But for that split second, I didn't realize what he had done to me. He had distracted me long enough that I had no clue what he was doing; I had tuned out everything.

It was a blessing and a curse at the same time: I couldn't hear my father's cruel laughter, or LadyDevimon screaming obscenities at him for warping my mind even further. Reverie and reality began to blend until I wasn't sure where I was, the past or the present. I soon became painfully aware of how much of a curse it was to tune out your formidable foe. After all, I didn't see it until it was too late…

Reality set back in, firmly establishing its rightful place in my mind. Of course, I didn't realize how much I was in pain physically. I thought it was all mental pain. Then the familiar scent of blood filled my nostrils. The world looked strange, almost like I was lying down on the floor or something of the sort. The mental compilation was completed with the symphony of LadyDevimon's screams and my father's demented laughter.

And then, my eyes befell on a single stake, a sharpened block of wood that came from the top of one of the canopy bedposts, now lodged into my heart.

LadyDevimon flocked to me, her eyes red from irritating tears. How she got free was beyond me, but that was not the point. She clutched me, eagerly trying to pull it out, but it was no use. I could already feel myself drifting. Everything began to shut down in a uniform fashion. She cried into my neck, pounding the ground beside her. "No!" she cried. "No! You can't leave me! Please, don't you leave me too!"

"Haven't you forgotten how much of a pest I am?" I tried to soothe her, but my voice wasn't much louder than a whisper.

"Promise me," her voice broke a bit, "that you won't leave me forever like Wizardmon did."

"I promise you that much."

"Thank you. I love you, Myotismon." Words cannot express my gratitude for her words. It didn't matter whether I could form them or not because she kissed me with such fervor that I didn't think I was breathing at that point. Of her own free will, she kissed me with my dying breath. This death was different. It was marked by pain, like all the rest, but this one was more blunt, whereas being defeated by the light stung me, striking the very depths of my tainted heart. This death, I concluded, must have been my final death.

That was it. Game over. I had absolutely failed her, and I had lied to her too. I would never be able to come back. I was just waiting, ready to taste the fires of Hell I had been destined to burn in since I was conceived.

And then, there was a light. A light I had to shield my eyes from because it was as blinding as the sun. Scratch that—it _was_ the sun. I could see myself as a child, running to my mother. _I still remember that moment: when I had met Acacia. For the first time in years, I had smiled. And so had Mother. _

"Viktor?" The voice of the angels called out my name. I didn't have to turn around to see who it was.

"Mother…" I ran to her and hugged her, for it had been decades since I had seen her. My father's cruel words echoed throughout my mind, but her cool hand stroked my head.

"Don't you even think him, child. He can't hurt you here, Viktor."

"I don't understand. This isn't Hell. It couldn't be. It's too bright, and of course, you're here. And I'm absolutely ecstatic to see you again, by the way."

"I know." She giggled softly. Oh, how I missed her laugh! She continued, "you know where we are… you just can't wrap your mind around it."

"I'm dead… and—is this Heaven?" She nodded. "But why am I here?"

She smiled earnestly and took my hand in hers. "Viktor, you were trying to save your love, that LadyDevimon. You died for her. That's self sacrifice, my darling."

"Right." I couldn't believe it. A vampire-digimon hybrid like myself basking in the light of the sun, retreating to Paradise, was like a dream come true. "Mother, if this is a place where my suffering shall no longer persist, then why is my heart in so much agony?"

"Dear me," she said, shaking her head while clicking her tongue. "I hoped you wouldn't ask. You couldn't blame me for acting just a bit selfish. After all, I haven't seen you in over two hundred years." She placed her fragile hands on my shoulders and looked me straight in the eyes, "Sweetheart, you have to go back. Your time isn't up yet."

"How much longer?" I held back any emotion that dared to show itself.

"I can't tell you that. I'm not even sure myself. Yet you know what you must do when you go back." I nodded, and she hugged me tightly, kissing my cheek. "I love you, my little Viktor." I embraced her, clutching her tightly.

_She was a crow among doves… an angel disguised as a fallen one. _Only now, was she a real angel. Tears fell from my eyes as I let her go and walked back to whence I came. A thought struck me, and I decided to voice it. "Mother… are you proud of me?"

She sighed heavily and started with, "You've done some terrible things, Viktor. Some could say almost unforgivable. You displayed many deadly sins, my son. One would even comment with something like, 'The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.'"

I winced at that last comment. That was the only one that broke my heart. I nodded, bowing my head in shame. She lifted up my chin so I would stare into those sapphire eyes that arose in my dreams. She smiled slightly and continued in a warm tone, "I think that the quote doesn't apply to you. True, you show similar characteristics like your father, but you have something that separates you from him."

"And that is?"

She pointed to each part of my body as she uttered, "A heart. A conscience. Me."

"So… you are not angry with me for everything that I've done?"

"You're my little boy. And with how much you've changed, you're still the same good little boy I remembered, aren't you?"

"That all depends on the eye of the beholder, doesn't it?"

She laughed wholeheartedly and held me in her arms before I returned. "Go get him," she whispered into my ear, and then faded away like a phantom in the wind.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

I heard LadyDevimon the second I awoke screaming at my father. "Get away from me, you bastard!" Ah, how delightful it was that my beloved knew such profanity. I decided that since his back was to me, I had the element of surprise on my side. The stake felt like nothing, so I ripped it out, hiding any pain. His aim was off, a bit lower than the center of my heart. He must have grazed it, just barely missing me. I would not miss him.

Creeping up behind him, I noticed that LadyDevimon stared at me as if I—forgive the pun—just rose from the dead. I silently motioned for her to not draw attention to me. It wasn't as if it mattered. He was too busy trying to retie her hands to the bed. She wriggled out of his grasp every time, keeping him busy, letting the time linger by. What a good girl she was, assisting me like this.

Clutching this powerful weapon, this decider of fates, I hoped harder than ever that I would kill him with astounding accuracy. He could sense my breath on the back of his neck, my presence invading his personal space. I said in a demonic hiss, "You can't hurt me anymore!" He had but a split second to react. He didn't take it.

He stayed stunned for a moment as the stake pierced his skin. He was coughing up blood, but he was still conscious. I noticed that the stake wasn't all the way through him, so I helped it along. As he fell, I kicked him off of LadyDevimon. _He doesn't deserve to die touching my mother… _and he didn't deserve to die touching LadyDevimon either.

She gaped at me, switching her gaze between my father and me. He was now writhing on the floor in anguish, and I was breathing heavily. I was feeling very contrasting emotions: overjoyed and no longer burdened, yet still very mournful. It wasn't as though I was mourning for him, but for my mother. The emotions I dared to never show in front of her poured out now as I fell, my knees balanced on the floor.

LadyDevimon came over to me and rested her hand on my shoulder. "You did it! You beat him!" Though she was jubilant, I felt no happiness. The reality was stark and bittersweet: I had never properly mourned for Mother, and now was the time.

For two hundred years or so, I had meticulously sewn together my broken heart. Seeing her again ripped the seams open, and all of the pain and suffering of those days flooded me once more. The flood became physical, as the tears poured out one by one, staining the stone floor.

"What's wrong, Myotismon?" She knelt down to my level. "You're not sorry for him, are you?"

I came clean and responded with the truth. She nodded her head, seeming to understand it, even surprised when I mentioned about my out-of-body experience. I gave her a wary glance and said, "Please… I must grieve."

"Alright, I'll give you that time, but what about him?" She pointed to him. Of course, I remembered. He doesn't digitize because he's not a digimon, but a vampire. I had to dispose of him the way every vampire hunter from my time did so: decapitation. It was easy enough to find a sword and do it. I didn't realize that he turns to dust shortly afterward.

I noticed the pain in my legs and decided that we had to fix ourselves up. After treating her wounds and dulling my pain with some spiked wine, we went our separate ways. She showered and retired in the library, reading a few books and drinking some spiked wine to reenergize herself. As for me, I locked the door to my room and sifted through some old photographs and the journals from my youth. Never have I felt such a need to grieve, to lament for my beloved mother. Never.


	14. Renewal

Chapter Fourteen-

**Chapter Fourteen- Renewal**

I had made it through the night unscathed, minus the mental torment. The pain crushed me, and the guilt almost destroyed me completely. I remember collapsing on the floor, my heart strained to the point of falling into a comatose state. How I wished for it! Oh, for Death to grace me with the allure of its eternal sleep, with the thought of feeling numb forevermore, would be a spectacular dream! Alas, I opened my eyes and saw all that remained of my dear mother: a formal family photograph, my collection of journals, and her necklace draped around my neck. Her memory would haunt me, so I locked it away… _like I had done before…_

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

_File Island was a fairly pleasant place to live, especially in the town Lilith had chosen for us to house in. She assumed a new identity, cutting her hair and styling it differently. She went so far as to change her name to Claudia, a name she favored had she ever bore a daughter. _

_As for me, I hated it. I was still Viktor, of course. No one knew about me when they chased after The Black Widow. Frankly, it wouldn't matter to anyone had I dropped off of the face of the world. Out of sight, out of mind. I hated her new name more. Claudia… even in the privacy of our own home, I had to call her that to make it become a force of habit. I resembled an actor again, living the lie that was a secret life. It was worse when we were in public; she was no longer Claudia, but Mom. I was forced back into school, into the environment of being a freak, or a "disturbed youth," which became my nickname from the teachers. _

_It seemed that no matter where I went, I was a freak: too unique to conform and too exceptional to assimilate. After a while of ignoring their rude remarks failed, I did what came natural to a threatened predator. I fought back, winning every time. I was the principal's most frequent visitor, and every teacher knew my 'mother' because of the many conferences regarding my latest behavioral problems. My history teacher, smitten by her beauty and elegance, refused to call her anything but by her name. _

_Perhaps I should have foreseen this small detail as a warning, but surely this was all paranoia. I knew that Lilith cared about me deeply, and loved me because I was different. I was young, but mature; kind and generous, but protective; vengeful, but forgiving. She was my adult love. Nothing could replace my beloved Acacia, but Lilith helped seal the pain of that horrifically painful night shut._

_Lilith loved me, and I loved her… until that warm April night. __It was unseasonably humid, and I was studying for my history test when all of a sudden, I heard a loud thumping on the wall behind my bed. That wall was adjacent to Lilith's room. Could it be that she was with another man? No, I am hers and she is mine. She promised me that she would forsake her old ways, never to kill again or lust for another. I had held her to a high standard, hoping this would improve her and turn her into a model citizen._

_I was wrong. What a fool I was to believe her petty lies._

_I threw open the bedroom door to tell her to quiet down when I saw her, covering herself and someone else with the covers. In a flurry of emotion, I ripped the covers off of them, and there she was wrapped in the arms of another. It was just what I feared. He was not just any man, but my history teacher nonetheless! I stood there, mouth agape, completely traumatized by what I had seen. I turned away from the sight, disgusted and rejected by her. Why would she do this to me? I had been nothing but faithful, honest, and loving. And yet to her, I was merely nothing. I curled up on my bed, letting my heart slowly die. I felt nothing anymore, completely numb, except for one ubiquitous emotion: hate._

_She came in an hour later, patting my back. "Viktor—"_

"_Don't you ever call me that again!" I shot back at her. After all, I had reserved that name for the special people in my life, who were all dead._

"_Fine then," she said, a biting snap to her words. "Listen, I know you're upset about everything that happened, but try not to take it so hard. These things do happen when you're a child."_

My mind could not process those words. Had she insinuated that all of this was my fault? How? That conniving wretch! She could not blame a sixteen-year-old boy on her own damn mistakes! I seethed, gripping my fists and not saying a word. I knew better now than to react to being antagonized. She left the room, sighing deeply.

_Had she really been sorry for her actions? The better question was had she really loved me at all, or was I just the newest section of meat for her to take a piece of? She used me and took advantage of my kindness and acquiescent nature, so she couldn't have loved me. She was a mistake, one that the quill pen could not scratch out or drown away in ink. _

_I drove myself to the desk, took out a quill pen and ink, and wrote her a letter, pouring out my feelings while masking them behind an elaborate, superficial lie:_

_**Dear Lilith,**_

**By the time your eyes meet the words on this page, I will have been long gone, hopefully approaching Death's door. Only he could save me from the torment and ravaged state I am in. Know this: Because you drove me away, discarding my feelings and fondling another even after you promised never again, you have motivated me to end it all. I quote you, "These things do happen when you're a child." How exactly did all of this become my fault? It seems that my uncertainty will go to my grave.**

_**While I contemplate my demise, I will think about Mordechi, and how you set me up to betray him. You said that you would love me like your own son, and yet I was treated more like your illicit lover. I'm not the naïve youth I used to be. I know that it's wrong, but you don't care. You are the dangerous, lusty kind, as is a Lilithmon's nature. You are oblivious to everything, especially to the mental warping you inflicted on me. Maybe someday, you'll have the heart to mourn your "son." **_

'_**Till then, enjoy the bastard. I'm sure he'll keep you company.**_

I finished the letter, placing the delicate manuscript on the counter. Before I left, I committed a rather malicious deed. Since my hatred was directed not at the tricked, but the trickster, I decided to make her pay with her pawn, my teacher. I stole her poisoned lipstick, and with my dagger, I cut off a big chunk and shoved it down his throat. He coughed a bit, yet I conditioned his throat to swallow. Perfect. He wouldn't suffer under her tyranny anymore. Not now, not ever.

I had my weapons, my belongings, my revenge, and my excuse. All I would have to do was carry out my "death wish." There was no way in Hell that I would stay on this cursed island. Server was my birthplace, my true home. I would make a life there, under a new name. I vowed to change, to show the world that I was someone special.

I had the power to change the world… so cliché an excuse, yet I believed it.

I boarded the ferry home, my pack slung over my shoulder. As I looked at the skyscape, the setting sun cast a shadow over a dark castle, which peaked through the mountaintops. It evoked a strong sense of darkness, and it comforted me. I would dwell there. Should a master inhabit it, I shall learn from him and become more powerful.

It was something out of a nightmare… hmm… Nightmare Castle. My new home…

And as for the matter of my new name, it would have to be something that stirred up strong feelings of power. I exited the ferry, flocking to the vacant castle. Cutting through the Black Forest, I found that there were residents here: bats. They swarmed me, eager to know whom I was. They landed everywhere, and flapped around me. Their presence pleased me, soothing my temperamental heart. They had strange markings on their heads, and by their attitudes, the revered me as their lord and master. They reminded me of the bats from my Real World textbooks. They were small mouse-eared bats, of the genus Myotis. What a perfect name that would be, Myotismon…

A little voice corrected me and said, "No, that's Lord Myotismon now." I grinned, baring my fangs with my evil smirk. From now on, I wouldn't get close to anyone and let my heart be destroyed again. And with this new surge of power, nothing could stop me from getting everything or anything I desired.

First Server, then the Digital World… and then, the Real World would be mine. Before long, everyone would know of my power. I would be feared, respected, everything I never was. And if anyone crossed me, I'd make sure that they'd suffer horrendously.

It was only a matter of time, but soon, everyone would know my name…

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

I could sense her troubles, even though I was not even near her at all. I rose to my feet, striding toward the library when all of a sudden, I heard the crash of glass breaking. Quickening my pace, I stormed through the door, discovering that she had collapsed onto the ground. She cried out for me, and I knelt by her side.

"Don't worry, my dear. I'm here for you." I extended my hand and she gripped it tightly, her face full of anguish.

"Myotismon… it's time," she whispered, clutching her abdomen. Perfect timing.

I carried her into one of the rooms, resting her gently onto the bed. She screamed her head off in the meantime. Only now was I uncertain of everything. After all, I had never been present at the birth of any of my other children, so I was somewhat clueless as to everything. I suppose a quick scouting of the town nearby could prove useful if I found a midwife or nurse there. I had to hurry up and find one, for the banshee roared again.

I was sure I would go deaf, but I made it out alright, not too damaged by the whole ordeal. The town was less than a few miles from the castle, a small picturesque village that was sure to house an able-bodied nurse. A particular Witchmon caught my eye as she healed a young Pagumon who had fell and cut open his cheek. Her healing properties made her perfect for the job.

The youth bounced off when I approached her, towering over the little mage. She paled, creaking her head to observe the desolate streets. The townspeople knew I was coming to collect her, but for what purposes, they could not fathom. I silently beckoned for her to follow me, which she did, her head bowed in shame and fear.

We were halfway up the stairs when she quietly murmured, "Sir, why me?"

I sighed, responding, "It is because you are a valuable asset to the community, yet your services are needed here."

Her steps ceased and she murmured, "I don't understand what you mean by that."

"Everything will become clear shortly. Come." She followed behind, a considerable distance between us. A wayward glance showed me that her hands were curled up toward the cowl of her cloak, a petrified expression plastered across her face. She was a young girl, and I couldn't quite blame her for being so precautious.

I motioned toward the closed door that housed LadyDevimon and explained the situation to her delicately. She nodded at my every word. Her eyes never met mine the entire time, but faded into her own surreal world where there was nothing to fear. She knew the price she was paying for helping me, and if she failed, she acknowledged the consequences without a second thought.

She was a peculiar mage in that she was taught not to fear anything, and yet here she stood, terrified by the circumstances laid before her. To abandon the job was not in her resume. She was strong-willed, a feature I appreciated. She breathed in deeply, lowering her hands to her sides, and opened the door, carefully closing it behind her. I didn't even follow her inside; I just had that effect on digimon.

Time had passed so quickly, and yet it could not have gone slower. LadyDevimon's screams grew louder, her cries more anguished. I became worried.

Oh precocious child, I thought eagerly, do not fail me now.

Her screech had yielded to make way for another ear-shattering sound—his first cry. I leaned my head against the wall, relieved by it all. The door clicked open as I strolled inside to see my love. The Witchmon had taken the child to be cleaned off, so it was just the two of us. She squeezed my hand tightly, smiling weakly. I kissed her, congratulating her on her success.

The Witchmon returned, our darling boy wrapped in a white blanket. Gently, she handed him over to LadyDevimon, still avoiding my gaze. She had the makings of a good servant, but that was a matter to discuss at a later time and date. LadyDevimon was busy coddling the boy, so I decided to occupy my time with the Witchmon, asking her if she would like to stay for a while. I had no time when LadyDevimon said, "Your turn."

I took the boy and looked into his soft blue eyes. They were just like his mother's. His lip trembled when he saw me, and I was worried that he would begin to cry. I smiled slightly, and he copied me. This in turn made me chuckle a bit, and he sighed happily in return. Little tufts of blonde hair stuck out like straw, and he grinned a lot, showing off the small nubs that would soon become his fangs.

I gave him back to LadyDevimon so he could be fed, leaving the room with the Witchmon with a little grin on my face. She noticed this, and giggled silently to herself. She and I ambled down the hall, discussing a few items of business. We agreed that she could spend her time in the village, but she was not to say a word of this to anyone.

"May I ask why anyone can't know about this new job of mine?"

"Simple. There are doctors who are able to do your job plus more. But there is something about you that I can just sense that I think you are capable of. You are very gifted, you know that, correct?"

Her cheeks were red, even though they were hidden. "Yes, thank you. But what is it you seek?"

"To be honest, I haven't the foggiest idea. But I'm sure you're useful to me in ways you've never even imagined."

Immediately, she finished walking with me and stopped dead in her tracks. I could almost sense what she was thinking and laughed. "Not like that, child. Get your mind out of the gutter and follow me." She sighed, reassured that my miscommunication was false, and eagerly followed me back to LadyDevimon's room.

The boy was asleep when LadyDevimon summoned me to her side. "I haven't thought up a name for him yet. Have you?"

I stared him over, admiring his features. His blonde hair and blue eyes were reminiscent of an angel, yet he was not one because of me. I had tainted his mother with the darkness, and so he had followed suit. For some reason, one name struck me as that of a tainted angel: Constantine.

After suggesting it to LadyDevimon, she looked at me uncertainly. My suggestion appealed to her as though I had offered her a fruitcake. "I'm not sure about that… is there a nickname we could give him?"

"That is your decision, isn't it?" I retorted.

"I guess so. Okay, if you really like it, I suppose it'll work. Constantine." She held him close as she drifted off to sleep with him cradled in her arms.


	15. Revival

Chapter Fifteen- Revival

**Chapter Fifteen- Revival**

Two days had passed, and the vampire venom in Constantine made him grow twice as fast as any normal digimon should. At this time, he resembled an intelligent two-year-old. I suppose powerful brains run in the family.

It was also about this time that I began to notice a great change in LadyDevimon. She seemed a bit more secluded, spending only fleeting moments with me. It pained me to see her so depressed, but for what reason? Was she homesick for her real friends, those wretched humans and their subservient digimon? Or was it something simpler, that she was just sick? I needed to send someone in to find out, but whom?

Enter Witchmon. She came around the corner, asking me if I had a job for her before she would head back to the town, so I told her of my predicament. Needless to say, she complied and entered the room. About an hour later, she returned to me, shaking her head ever so slightly.

"What's wrong with her? Why is she so upset?" I inquired.

"Well," she began, "at first, I thought it had something to do with post partum depression." I gave her a dubious look, and she continued, "It's when the mother gets depressed after having a child because of fluctuating hormones or something like that. See, the only problem with that theory is that it's a human condition, not a digimon."

I nodded, pressing her to continue.

She furrowed her brow, trying desperately to think. "Is there anything that was bothering her when she was pregnant, or even before?"

"Well… I have a feeling she might be homesick. After all, she did run away from her friends so they would not know she was pregnant."

"Perfect. Why don't you head inside and ask her if she'd like to go see them?"

"Fine." In reality, I was rather reluctant to give her the option. I suppose I was being selfish again, but I would rather prefer having her not reconnect with her friends. If she grew too attached to them again, she might be more disinclined to stay with Constantine and me.

I did want her to be happy, so I put my fears aside and entered her room. Small rays of light peaked through the windows; the heavy curtains blocked the rest of it. Her body was cocooned in the covers, her head buried underneath the pillows. Her breathing and heart rate were much too quick to be in a state of rest, so she was awake to hear me.

I sat down aside of her and pulled the pillows off of her head. Stroking her cheek lightly, I asked, "What is wrong, my darling? You seem so miserable."

Upon hearing my voice, she perked up and shook her head. "I'm fine, don't worry."

I narrowed my eyes at her. Of course she was lying to me; it didn't take a genius to understand that. "No, you're not. Come now, you can tell me."

"Well… it's just that, I'm a bit…um…" She stuttered her way through such a simple sentence that I finished it for her.

"You're homesick for your friends, aren't you?"

"Yes! That's exactly it! Wow, you're good." Somehow, her smile seemed so forced. I guess that my assumption was incorrect. I gave her a serious look, and she giggled nervously in return. She frowned and said, "Well, that's kind of it."

"Kind of?"

"See, when I left, I left them a note that I was running away. I was sure that they would look for me, so I turned it into a suicide note."

Astonished by her words, I added, "You know that, because of the strong bond you have with Kari, she will still look for you, no matter what you have written."

"Yeah, I figured. Hopefully, she wouldn't think of coming here. Frankly, she's never been here before. But the others have, and they might lead her here. But you see, it doesn't matter. I knew that I would be stuck with the kid for the rest of my life."

"That means that you can't—or rather, you won't—go back," I completed for her. She nodded solemnly, fighting back tears.

"I'm staying here for you and Con. The decision has been made," she stated self-assuredly. I wasn't sure of whom she was trying to fool, herself or me. Either way, I let her be, leaving the room in a hush.

The Witchmon was very eager to speak with me, a feeling I never reciprocated as I retreated to my throne room. She followed, acting like an obedient dog, still trying to catch my attention. I plopped onto my chair and she stood in front, cocking her head a bit.

"Is something wrong, sir?"

"Oh no, not a thing," I replied sarcastically. "I'm having the time of my life."

She sighed heavily, obviously detesting my scathing comment. "Wow. That was so funny, I forgot to laugh."

"Everyone's a critic." Here, she did laugh a bit. She stepped closer, asking me again what was wrong. "Simple," I told her. "LadyDevimon is not letting herself be cheerful. I gave her the option of visiting her friends, but she adamantly refused. Whether it was a lie matters not. What does matter is that she becomes joyful once again."

"Well… if she doesn't want to visit her friends, perhaps we can bring her friends to her."

"No, she is also against that."

The Witchmon cursed softly and muttered, "It's too bad she doesn't have any other friends."

"She does—actually, the correct term is she **did**."

I had peaked her interest, so she asked me, "What happened to them?"

"Him, for one. And I killed him a long time ago because he was a traitor."

"Really? So that means that LadyDevimon was that Gatomon that got away… interesting. Wait a second, I thought she became a Digidestined!"

I spoke quietly, "She did. That's who her friends are."

She stared at me, never blinking, astonished by my words. "Well, that explains a lot." An awkward silence passed until she said, "You know, if you want, you could summon him back. You know, her friend."

"Never. I will never allow him to live again." I was still stubbornly against bringing that damned mage back to life, even though there clearly wasn't any way to.

"What are you so afraid of? It's not like he hurt you or anything, right?"

"Of course not. It's just that when he and Gatomon were younger, he had a certain kind of power over her, one that I could not match. It wasn't physical, but more of a psychological, emotional presence that he held. I could not figure out why she found him so captivating."

"Not to insult you, sir, but I think I know what it was. They were in love with each other."

I shuddered a bit. I had always suspected that was why she was still so drawn to him. "Even in death, their love goes on. How sickening."

"Perhaps he will make her happy again. You said that her happiness was all you cared about, correct?"

"Yes, but I cannot have her leaving me for that wretched miscreant."

"Just curious, sir, what kind of digimon was he? A Devimon? Angemon?"

"No…" I was hesitant to tell her, but I ignored it and said, "A Wizardmon."

"Really? That's rather peculiar. I hate all Wizardmon; it's in my nature." I was confused again, so she chuckled and continued, "Witchmon and Wizardmon are typically enemies because we are competing for power. The stronger ones rise to the top of the class, while the weaker ones fade into nonexistence or leave Witchelny for good. After all, we have no use for mages that have no power. The ironic thing about that situation is that after we obtain said power, we use it to attract a potential husband or wife."

"Interesting," I said, processing the information. "That's one way of mating."

"Yes, I suppose it's an exceptional kind of way, but it's what we know."

"And your brilliant power is the art of healing."

"Not only that, but I need to have a dark power to balance the light. My dark power is the ultimate healing power, in the darkest way imaginable. I have the power to bring the dead back to life."

Necromancy!? No wonder she was so persistent on bringing Wizardmon back to life. "I knew you were good for something else. Follow me."

"Wait, you mean you actually want to bring him back?"

"Yes, for her sake." Lies. Truth be told, I wanted to know if she was being dishonest. No room for impostors in my castle.

"Well, you see, I can't right now. I need to prepare."

"Prepare? For what, child?" I was becoming impatient.

"See, there's a lot of preparation that goes into the dark arts. One small miscalculation, and you could die." She spoke with such passion that even I was convinced of her certainty. I still held my doubts when I gave her a critical look. She glanced out the window and said, "It has to be at night. Preferably when the moon is high in the sky."

The moon had turned from its wonderful full state into a waning gibbous, so it rose later throughout the day. "The moon would be at its highest around one or two in the morning."

"Perfect. That gives me almost ten hours to gather supplies. I have to make a stop into town to retrieve my books. That is, if you allow it, m'lord."

"Yes, but do not travel too far from the area." With a sly smile, I added, "It's a very different and dangerous world out there at night. Predators never know what kind of prey they may catch." My eyes locked with hers, and hers showed the slightest hint of fear, which was ideal should she think of running away. After all, I was rather hungry and could go for a fresh kill tonight.

"Right…" she said, taking a step back. "I'll be on my way, then." With a quick bow, she skidded out of the room. I chuckled to myself and waited for the night to arrive.

Pouring myself a glass of wine, I stared into my reflection on the goblet and grinned. "If by some means she is a true necromancer, why then, a toast to my new little friend, Wizardmon. Cross me again, and I'll make sure you pay dearly."

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

We gathered in the dungeons, for whatever reason was beyond me. She said it was perfect, but I was more than doubtful of her decision. I couldn't help my heart skipping a beat or two; it had been only a few days since being down here, and I swore I could still smell the blood lingering in the air.

Underneath one of the vast skylights, she set up a small alter, lining the circle she outlined in chalk with pink rose petals. She drew a pentagram inside of the circle, with three small changes: the top point had a circle around it, the two bottom points had small curved lines sticking out, and the side points had the curved lines with a circle inside of them.

I questioned her about this, and she replied candidly, "They represent the three planes of existence. The circle is the Plane of Harmony, what some humans call Heaven. The circle is an angel's halo.

"Which would leave the bottom two as devil horns, so in other words, Hell."

"The Plane of Punishment, as we call it in Witchelny. That makes the two sides the medium between the two, the Plane of Judgment, Purgatory. The point is that when I summon him back after creating his body, his spirit is housed in one of these three planes. They will light up, and the color will change depending on his area of existence."

I took a step back as she opened up a small satchel, beginning to pour out different, bizarre items to make up a body: dandelions and grasses, tree bark, a bat wing, two flasks of water, and a silver strand of LadyDevimon's hair.

"How does all this create a body?"

"You'll see in time," she smirked as she began to spread the items throughout the different areas of the alter. Summoning all her energy, she began to chant in a foreign tongue. While she was doing this, she lit a match and began burning the grasses and wood, which were housed in the Hell regions of the alter. The strand remained intact in Heaven's peak, while the flasks were opened, set in the Purgatory regions with the bat wing.

Suddenly, the alter began to glow, faintly at first, but then shining brightly. I could see the different materials starting to form together, though I had shielded my eyes from the radiance. She stepped up to the light and took off her glove, her hand marked with scratches and scabs.

In a more common tongue, she said, "A body is not alive until it retains a liquid life force. I sacrifice some of mine for you." She then cut her hand, between the thumb and forefinger, and let it slowly drip onto the ingredients. She also carved away a notch of her skin, and let it fall slowly to the ground as well.

"And now, the true life force shall come." Her chanting resumed as the light faded, leaving only the two sides of the pentagram lit. The body was what one would call an earth soldier, hollow and standard. She took out another strand of LadyDevimon's hair and flicked it with her wrist, making it sharp and straight. Just like Arukenimon's Spirit Needle attack, she pushed the strand into the earth soldier's head.

The light grew again, so brightly I began to hiss. It felt like the Sun was burning me again, but it was a colder sting than that of sunlight. Fake sunlight, in a sense. The light dimmed again, and there before my eyes was what I had first imagined unattainable.

Wizardmon was standing there, weak and lethargic, for he was roused out of his eternal sleep. The Witchmon smiled at her handiwork as she circled around him. I was reluctant to believe that it was him, that she had called back the wrong Wizardmon. Alas, I was wrong. He stared at her and blinked a bit, saying, "Did Gatomon replace me, or is this all another dream?"

Damn. And I thought I was going to win a bet and have Witchmon for dinner.

I stayed hidden in the shadows and watched him, tracking his every move. The Witchmon explained that she was a necromancer who had summoned him back here.

"This place gives me a bad feeling. Is this Nightmare Castle?" She nodded, and his eyes widened, a slight taste of dread in his features. He shrugged it off and said, "Funny. I was here once, but never in the dungeons. I guess you could say that Gatomon and I were… outstanding lackeys." He chuckled at this comment, so I decided to mess with his head.

"Funny… I remember only Gatomon being the exceptional one. You were just her right hand mon." He jumped at my words, obviously not expecting me to be there. Last he heard, I was dead by the damned light, rotting away in some dark wasteland.

"Myotismon?" His voice still held a slight tremble as he faced me. "You're supposed to be dead."

"So are you, but you're not anymore, now are you?" I retorted.

"That's true, I suppose. Hold on… why am I alive?"

Before I could come up with an elaborate lie, Witchmon interjected and said, "My master wished for it."

He gave her an unconvinced glare and mumbled, "Really? I find that impossible."

"It is what it is," she shot back. "Take it for what it's worth." With that, she bowed to me and made her exit.

He stood, wobbling to his feet like a newborn, and watched her leave is a rush. He shook his head slightly and murmured to himself, "Witchmon. Can't live with them, and you can't kill them. What's a wizard to do?"

"Kill them anyway," I answered back in an amused tone. He stared at me for a few seconds, rolled his eyes, and thought to himself that I hadn't changed a bit. "Indeed, I have not, but I have learned a few new tricks, as you can plainly see."

Recovering from the slight shock of me reading his thoughts, he replied crossly, "I thought old dogs couldn't learn new tricks."

Ouch. And I thought I had the heart carved from ice. "I see your biting wit matches your icy heart perfectly."

The bantering agitated him, and he finally snapped, "Just tell me why I'm here!"

"Now, now. All will be revealed in time," I taunted. "In the meantime, I would like for you to follow me. As soon as I show you around, I will direct you toward Gatomon." He seemed more than willing to comply, so we left the dungeons. I slammed the heavy iron door shut behind me. That would be the last time I descended those stairs to that wretched place again.


	16. Comprehension

Chapter Sixteen-

**Chapter Sixteen- Comprehension**

It did not take him long to become bored, but a few things intrigued him. Mainly why the corridors were desolate and why every surface was coated in dust. I asked earnestly, "How long do you think I've been alive?"

"What do you mean by the question?" he replied.

"What I mean is that you know as well as I do that I was finally eradicated off the face of this accursed world about six years ago. How long do you think I've been back?"

"I don't know. If you haven't raised an army, then probably not very long."

"Correct. I have only returned a month ago. And already, I have a family."

"You, a family? I thought you just rose up out of the flames of Hell." I stopped in my tracks, bitter and enraged by such a comment. He paused, and turned his head to apologize.

"Do you wish to see Gatomon or not?" He nodded sincerely and I scolded him by saying, "Then you shall keep your biting comments to yourself." I continued, taking the lead over him as I paused once more outside LadyDevimon's room. "Wait here," I mentioned as I slipped inside the room, locking the door behind me.

LadyDevimon had not moved from her vegetative state, so I nudged her gently to stir her out of her restless slumber. "LadyDevimon, my darling, you must wake up. There is someone special waiting out there for you."

She moved languidly and groaned, "Who is it? What's going on?"

"I told you, it's a surprise." I took her hands, clasping them both in mine so I would catch her attention. Her eyes fastened onto mine as I spoke, "It does not matter who this visitor is. You will not tell him or her anything that has transpired between us. Not even a single mention of Constantine, or any of the events that took place these past three to four weeks. Do you understand what I ask of you?"

"Loud and clear," she mumbled, still half-asleep.

"Shall I let them in?"

"Yeah." Her voice was laced with a hint of relief in all of this confusion. I walked to the door and opened it as she climbed out of bed. There, their eyes met for the first time in over a decade. There again, she smiled brightly, more than she had ever done so before. And even though his mouth was covered as well, I could just as well imagine a smile there. And yet again, her eyes grew soft and she held that captivated glare she had always done in his presence. I had lost her.

"Gatomon… is it really you?" Indeed, she had changed from the last time he knew her, for reasons she would (hopefully) not reveal to him.

She looked down at herself and blushed. "Oh yeah. Sometimes I forget I'm a LadyDevimon now."

"Why exactly are you a LadyDevimon?"

She grinned, giving me a fleeting glance as she spoke, "Well, I've been here for a couple weeks because after getting in a fight with all the Digidestineds, well, I didn't really have anywhere else to go. I figured that this place was abandoned, so I might as well hide out here. Imagine my surprise when I try to sneak in and he catches me!" She even added a slight giggle before she continued. "Luckily for me, he wasn't angry at any of us anymore. That's the only reason he got to come back. I suppose that my natural digivolution line fell on the exact time I was in an area of dark influence. Go figure."

Wizardmon studied her features scrupulously, debating whether she was lying to him or not. She merely stared at him, giving him an innocent look. He shook his head, brushing away any doubts or suspicions about her, and with any luck, me as well.

I must admit, it was a pretty good lie, especially because it was impromptu.

Her head turned to face me as she asked me in her most proper voice, "Myotismon, would you mind if Wizardmon and I were allowed to have some private time? It would be wonderful to catch up with everything, and there are some stories that I know you would not care to hear."

I could not help but grin a bit. Digidestined stories were boring, but perfect blackmail weapons. Nevertheless, I nodded and left the room, quietly closing the door. I heard the gears turn and realized that she had locked it again. This, in turn, left me feeling a little uneasy. Who knows what they were up to? I had to trust her to not lose herself, to not fall victim to his stare. I had to treat him like a rival vampire, for we all bear an enchanting gaze. We had a phrase for that long ago: "Once you're smitten, you're bitten."

The Witchmon, with her ideal timing, slinked into the hall and asked me what was happening. I explained to her that many of LadyDevimon's secrets were not to be heard by Wizardmon. She nodded, and seemed to understand that it was not her place to ask just what they were. She was correct in that assumption. "I get it. You're worried about her. Well, that's pretty smart, considering that a Wizardmon is a trickster by nature."

It seemed that I would have to keep a good eye on them. And perhaps, a good ear.

I knew it was wrong to do it, but I began eavesdropping on their conversation. Though the heavy wooden doors were thick, they were not soundproof. I heard muffled snippets of conversation between the two.

They had just got done laughing, probably over a humorous story that LadyDevimon had said over one of the imbeciles. She sighed heavily, letting a silence pass over the room before saying, "Have you ever been filled with this awestruck feeling?"

His tone sounded very puzzled when he said, "What do you mean 'awestruck'?"

"Well, I don't know how to describe it. I'm just so thrilled that you're alive again. You won't ever leave me again, right?" Her voice was filled with concern.

He laughed it off, joking, "I wouldn't leave you even if Myotismon tried to rip us apart once more." She giggled a bit, but then stopped herself short. Somehow, she knew it was wrong and that it had hurt her. He murmured softly, "Too soon?" She must have nodded.

Another uncomfortable hush fell over the room. She stumbled through her sentence, "You know, you really shouldn't make fun of Myotismon like that. He's a lot different than he used to be. In fact, I would have been dead before, killed for being a traitor that escaped death. He wouldn't have allowed you to come back. See the difference?"

Wizardmon retorted, "Why are you defending him?" No reply from her. He continued, "I mean, you speak about him as if he's a righteous Angemon or something along those lines. You know that he has no moral code to abide by; he's a rouge digimon hell-bent on obliterating any opposition that crosses his path."

She choked on her words as she tried to counter his objection. "Wizardmon, I know that you're still very cross over the events of the past, but that's all it is: the past."

He responded, "And another thing. Why exactly was I resurrected? It's not that I'm unhappy; believe me when I say that I am grateful. I'm simply confused, that's all."

"Well…" Even she was at a loss for words. Telling him would mean to expose our secret affair, and that was something that she promised me that she would never do. "When you spend two or three weeks under the same roof with him, and he is your only means of communication, you learn a lot about him." She was getting too good at beating around the bush, to not tell him straightforwardly. "Trust me when I say that you and I are very similar to him."

He sighed deeply, still unable to accept such a simple concept. This was very unlike him. His nature had proven to me over the years that he was gentle, yet very protective of those he cared about. I wondered how forgiving he truly was. Though he had been hurt and killed by my power, he seemed reluctant to give into his trusted companion's words. I was sure that he would easily capitulate to anything LadyDevimon would say, just because the two of them are very close friends, linked even through death.

I wonder… could their bond be so powerful that he could see right through the fabrication of false truths? More than likely, yes. I'm sure that he speculates that something is not quite right with the picture. Me, benevolent? A preposterous concept, at least in his mind. Even I would be disinclined to believe that hyperbole.

I left my post, deciding that I had heard enough for one night. A child's cry echoed through the halls, more than likely too faint for either LadyDevimon or Wizardmon to perceive. I made my way to Constantine's room, curious why he was calling for me.

He was sitting up in his small bed, shaking his head and trying to hide under the covers. I stepped in, inquiring him of the situation. In his innocent little voice, he replied shakily, "I had a bad dream, Daddy."

I honestly had to grin at such a short, simple sentence. I know that, had I said that in my childhood, I would have received some screams and cursing in my ear. But no, he wouldn't be put through something so cruel, not my son. I acted surprised and asked, "You did? What happened in it?"

"Well…" He had a small lexicon to choose from, but he was fairly good at description. "I dreamed that there was a dark shadow following me. It was an evil shadow, and it wanted me to disappear forever. Then all of a sudden—" He paused, recollecting his thoughts, "—you came and hit it. Then Mommy came in and hit it too, twice." He supported his claim by holding up three fingers at first, then quickly changing it to two as he realized his mistake. He continued, "It was good, 'cept the shadow slid away and took me away anyway. I saw you and Mommy crying. It made me cry too."

"Don't worry," I cooed, patting his head softly. "Your mother and I would never let anything like that happen to you." Ruffling his hair softly, I said, "Why don't you crawl back under the covers and head back to sleep? There's nothing to fear, Constantine. There are no monsters or malevolent shadows to harm you."

I had turned around and was about ready to close the door when his small voice uttered, "Daddy?"

I faced him. "Yes?"

"What does 'malev-lent' mean?"

It was rather endearing, watching him try to pronounce something not in his vocabulary. "It's 'malevolent', and it means 'evil' or 'mean'."

"Okay. Thank you, Daddy." He always thanked me after he learned a new word. Curling up under the covers, he yawned softly and nestled his head on the edge of the pillow, falling asleep instantaneously.

I turned to find the Witchmon silently pulling on Wizardmon's cloak, a failed attempt at trying to lure him away from Constantine's room. Wizardmon looked at my son thoughtfully. Without saying a word, he motioned and obviously inquired about him.

I whispered, "I told you already. I had a family. You chose not to believe me."

"How in the world did you become a father?"

I was struck back by such an inquiry. I answered it the only way I knew precisely how. "Well… when one digimon falls in love with another—"

"Not that! I already know _how_ he was created!" He shuddered a bit. Perhaps I had mentally destroyed him with my attempt at explanation. "What I want to know was not how, but _who._ Who's the mother?"

A sense of trepidation fell over me. I noticed LadyDevimon out of the corner of my eye, loitering in the hallway, but reluctant to lean on the grimy stone walls. I turned my attention away from her and glanced down at the Witchmon, who smirked vindictively. She knew, and she could tell him. She would. I knew that she would.

No. The paranoia was seeping, rooting itself deeply into my brain. It refused to relinquish power over me. I was addicted to this obsession with fear, to the unknown.

Focusing myself back on Wizardmon's analyzing glare, I mustered up a decent half-truth. "It's rather elementary when you think about it. You see, I had not realized that, on my first night back, I was expecting a woman in my bed. She was ravaged, if you catch my drift. You can figure out the rest."

A slight smile caught my attention. "Interesting," he said softly. It did not take him long to process this. Either he believed my every word, or he knew it was a complete joke. The paranoia kicked back in again. He didn't believe me. Something was wrong.

Something _was_ indeed wrong that I did not catch in time. Constantine was awake, listened to my lie, and laughed out loud. We all turned to him, each one of us with a different expression etched into our faces.

He looked and naively spoke, "Daddy, you know that's not true. You know she's my mommy." An accusing finger pointed out LadyDevimon, who gave Constantine a very grave look that made him hide his face under the covers once more. I suppose that later, I would have to teach Constantine how to lie and not spoil surprises.

Wizardmon took one look at Constantine, grateful that the child had told him the truth. His eyes flashed to LadyDevimon, feeling completely betrayed by her. His face turned to utter disappointment as he shook his head.

Lifting his head, his gaze met mine and his face was full of disdain. The treachery was not complete without someone to use as a scapegoat: me. I knew that I was going to be in a world of torment for as long as he was alive.

Hmm… perhaps I should kill him again, I mused jokingly.


	17. Regression

Chapter Seventeen-

**Chapter Seventeen- Regression**

"Gatomon, how could you? After everything's he's done to you—"

"_To_ me? That's just my point! He hasn't done anything to me yet. Isn't that a sign that he's changed even a little bit?"

"Yes, but 'yet' is the key word in that sentence. If you happen to walk in at the wrong time, he's going to kill you. And you know he would, mainly because he has the power to do so."

Back and forth I have heard LadyDevimon and Wizardmon bickering. My eyes wandered to each one, as if they were debating over something childish. The high intonations in their voices rang in my ear, as if someone had struck a chord on the piano where I was resting my head. In fact, an enraged Wizardmon _did _do just that merely to spite me, and to make sure I was awake (as was his excuse).

I bolted, nearly jumping out of my seat. The two stared at me as I glared angrily at Wizardmon. "Don't do that again. You gave me a fright."

"Really? You're the one who started all this!" Wizardmon indicted.

"Are you sure about that? She seemed pretty eager to kiss me, after all—"

Wizardmon covered his ears, groaning at the word 'kiss'. "That's disgusting. I don't believe you for a moment. You probably tricked her into doing this, or she was forced into it by you."

"What do you take me for, a lustful brute? I am nothing of the sort." I heard him mumble something under his breath, and without a second thought, I pulled him by the cloak, making sure he faced me. "If you dare to say something insulting about me, then you shall face me when you say it, not hide like a coward! Go on, say it!"

"Alright then. I said, 'All you've ever been is a sex-crazed fiend.' Satisfied?"

My anger levels began to rise sharply. He was truly beginning to infuriate me, just like he had done in the past. I stared so coldly at him, my eyes like sharp icicles piercing his heart. He even took a step back, as if the attack was physical, but it was an involuntary reaction.

"I'll be more satisfied when your head is on a pike!" I drew my whip, ready to attack him, and he was doing the same. That is, until LadyDevimon opened her mouth.

"Alright, you two. Easy, boys," LadyDevimon said, stepping in between the two of us. She was protecting us both from each other. How noble of her. My rage subdued for the moment as I took a deep breath. It helped to clear my mind, yet sometimes not enough. It worked for now.

She scolded the two of us, "Look, it makes no sense to keep fighting over something that is already once and done. I admit to being both Myotismon's mate and the mother of his child." She said it with the slightest bit of hesitation, but was otherwise very fluent. "That doesn't mean that I'm a completely different digimon. Yes, I digivolved, but I'm still a timid little Gatomon on the inside."

She knelt down to Wizardmon's level and stared at him. Like me, she could tell that he was very hurt by the situation. She took his hand and whispered, "I just need you to understand this… or better yet, I need to know if you can accept this."

"I should for your sake, but I can't. It's just so difficult to wrap my mind around. I mean, I'm supposed to protect you from anything like this, so evil doesn't try to take hold of you again. I've failed."

She gave him a hug and solaced him. "I don't need a protector anymore. I can defend myself now. But what I do need, especially right now, is a friend. A best friend that can accept everything that has been revealed. Can you fill that spot for me?"

He chuckled softly to himself and replied, "I suppose I could do that."

She nodded and looked up at me. "Your turn, Myotismon."

"My turn for what? To apologize? Not a chance." She looked at me with those pleading eyes, asking for me to reconsider. "I don't trust him, that's all."

Wizardmon shot back, "Frankly, I don't trust you either."

LadyDevimon stared at us both, exasperated by our discrepancies. "Alright, you know what? Forget about it. You two can fight like children all day for all I care. But for right now, I've got a _real _child to attend to." And with that, she stormed out the door, slamming it behind her.

"Just because I don't trust that mangy mage does not make me a child."

"You said it, Vampy."

Vampy. I loathed that nickname. It sounded like what a toddler would call me, or a mortal to tease me. I shot him a dirty look and said, "Go on and call me that again. We'll see how long you'll live."

He grinned, hidden underneath his cloak. "Alright, fine. I'll be good. I promised her that I would be, seeing as how you're 'different' now."

"Different? Should I interpret that as a good or bad thing?"

"Depends," he shrugged. "If you would rather everyone remember you as some evil monster up on the hill, then it's a bad thing to change into something good."

"I suppose so…" I mused as the conversation went flat. We were both hesitant and very unsure of what to say next. I was still quite on edge, ready to kill if I was prompted. The only thing I could conjure up was stolen right out of my mouth.

Wizardmon sighed and spoke, "I don't care what she says. I have every right to not trust you." I played along with him, asking him to elaborate on that statement. "Well, first off, you haven't changed much. You're still the same old conceited, self-absorbed digimon that killed me years ago."

"Conceited? Self-absorbed? You perceive me as nothing but an egotistical maniac?"

"It's not my fault you're so narcissistic. All you care about are your own feelings, and not that of anyone else's. It's a grievous fault that I hope kills you one day." His gritty voice and clenched fists showed me that he was not ready to back down, that he would die again for his views. It also showed me that he was not afraid of anything: not the impact of his words, not Death, and certainly not me.

"And what of you, my fellow friend?" I scathingly replied, a wry touch to my tone. "What about your faults? You seem to have a bit of a vain streak yourself, seeing as how you don't believe you have any. Well, let me assure you in saying that everyone, be it human or digimon, has a weakness. LadyDevimon, she is your weak spot. You cannot help but feel guilt over this whole situation, that it was your 'job' to protect her from me. You failed, miserably, might I add."

"Shut up…" I heard him murmur; I ignored him.

"Yes… you realize that she has no use for you. She says that all she needs is you to be her friend, but that's just a fancy way of her saying, 'I don't need you anymore.' You know this, and yet you believed her."

"Shut up…" His voice became nothing more than an audible statement.

I continued, "You are utterly alone now, seeing as how she has learned to move on after your death. And don't you fret… I'll make sure to satisfy her every need."

"Shut up!" He roared, making me straighten up a bit. It went through me, his voice strained to the point of sounding like he was tortured. Perhaps I had struck a chord inside of him. I knew that my argument was aimed at his pride, and I had, indeed, scorned him badly. He rebuked, "At least I can take some comfort in knowing that no matter what happens to me, I'll never become a bastard like you!"

"How dare you!" My anger truly peaked this time, the rage boiling over. All of a sudden, a surge of power rushed through me, and I fell back into my old pattern of things, the pattern of attacking first and deducing everything later. I pulled out my trusty whip and gave him a small warning that I was serious; two cracks on the ground aside of him.

He jumped back, surprised by the situation, and conjured up his old power. He aimed a Thunder Ball at me, but was terribly off his mark. It seemed that he was rusty after not using his power in so many years. The odds were in my favor as of this moment, and it could have turned out to be a very biased victory had it not been for LadyDevimon.

She ran into the room and ironically stepped in front of him, ironic only because the scene was rather familiar ten years ago, just with their roles reversed. She had now become _his_ protector instead. Consequently, I laughed, inwardly of course. The humor in this scene was not appropriate for the situation at hand, so I put on a harsh façade.

Her eyes implored me that I should cease this irrelevant fighting. We had done nothing but attack each other's pride, which was essentially droll derision. Though we were at each other's throats (pun not intended), it was not meant to be taken seriously. In retrospect, I had gone a tad too far. I retreated slightly, putting my whip away. She smiled slightly, nodding gratefully that I had made the right choice.

It felt so unnatural to back down from a fight, no matter how frivolous it seemed to all of us. I stared at the two of them. She had turned around to make sure that there were no marks on him. It sickened me to see the two together. I knew it was a bad idea to bring him back, but she was joyful whereas I drowned in the green sea of envy. I couldn't stand to see the two together any longer, so I left the room and headed for my retreat, the library.

They followed, but ceased to continue after I slammed the door on their faces. I retreated into the world of fiction. The books became my window into the fantastical world of my imagination. It was so easy to sit in my comfortable chair and daydream; the noise of the crackling fire in the background became an effervescent sigh. I decided to bide my time, for it wouldn't be long before they entered my quarters.

My assumption was correct. Forty-five minutes passed before the door creaked open, rattling me out of my semi-conscious state. It was rather upsetting to leave, as I enjoyed dwelling in the dark nothingness of my mind. It became almost meditative.

I turned to face two small creatures that approached me, Wizardmon in front with an irritated Witchmon behind him. I suppose, out of respect, she had tried to do me a favor to keep him out. I dismissed her quietly, and she left with a defeated look stricken across her face. My eyes rested on Wizardmon's, ready for him to speak.

He took a collective breath and began, "I know you hate me, and honestly, I hate you too. I do ask that we try to get along, for Gatomon's sake at least. She really wants us to because she cares so much about both of us. So, will you agree to that?"

How could I not refuse? My goal all along was to keep her in a temperate, stable mood. I nodded in reply, even extending my hand so we could shake on it. He took the bait, grasping my hand enthusiastically.

A calm stillness passed between us before he spoke again. "As for that whole argument—which was rather stupid of us to get into, you know—I'm sorry for it, at least my part of it."

"Yes, you are forgiven. I suppose I should confess to my own grievances with you. I had no intention of acting so pretentious."

You are forgiven." He replied in the same condescending tone I had inflicted upon him. We both gave each other a disdainful glare before snickering to ourselves. He left almost immediately, for fear of saying something to enrage me further.

I strolled around the halls before noticing the moon setting behind the trees. Dawn was coming, and I was not the least bit tired. It was strange to think that earlier this night, that same waning gibbous had seen the revival of my biggest rival, and also witnessed a small truce between the two of us. Only the moon would know how long this truce could last.


	18. Counsel

Chapter Eighteen-

**Chapter Eighteen- Counsel**

Not much time had passed, or at least it did not appear that way to me. How could I have known for sure though? I had stayed in my room for what felt like days, my mind scattered, drifting a million miles from here, far into the atmosphere. There was no peaceful ambiance surrounding me; this was no meditative state, but a chaotic frenzy. The turmoil had coiled itself around me like a snake, gripping me tighter and tighter until I felt that this was my last breath leaving my lungs. And, given my present circumstances, I almost wished that it was.

In these cumulative hours, I had seen my life deteriorate before my very eyes. Why had I allowed myself to bring him back? This was a question that seemed to produce no response, despite my fervent attempts at trying to answer it. I was perplexed by what I had meagerly come up with: it was all a game. I hadn't believed Witchmon's accusation of being a necromancer, for it seemed too incredulous. If that were truly the answer, then why hadn't I chosen someone that I actually cared about, such as Acacia, or even my mother?

_Because neither Acacia nor Mother would have improved her mood, _a voice rang in my head. His voice, that of my ten-year-old self, assumed the role of my conscience once more. His tone scorned me, mocking me from the dark and dank depths of my mind.

I voiced aloud, "And just what are you implying? Are you telling me that I had wanted him to come back? If so, you are poorly misguided."

_Are you trying to convince me, who knows everything about what you have become, or are you trying to convince your heart?_

"Neither… or rather, both. I'm not so sure of myself anymore."

_So I've noticed…_

"That does not give you the right to ridicule me. You and I, we are one in the same, separated by different planes of reality and two hundred years or so of knowledge."

_Your latter argument proves wrong. I know everything about us, for I linger only in your memories. You call me a 'conscience,' but the truth is that Father killed any trace of a conscience along with Mom. The source of power you received at that moment was the moment that you truly realized that you _had _power._

I was slightly puzzled by his explanation. "Enlighten me, for I am now lost."

I heard him sigh heavily before continuing, _Father had suppressed us for years, and every day, we yearned to fly away from such a hell… to taste freedom. But we never did, did we? We couldn't until he was gone. And the second we realized that Mother was leaving us was also the moment Edward's grip on us was slipping. We had power. And in the instance of initially killing the bastard, we felt like we could fly, correct?_

"Indeed, I could. That is, until I caught a glimpse at Mom."

_Yeah… but… you've coped so well. I don't think I could've done better myself._

He spoke of me as if I were an old friend. In a sense, he was. I had often talked to myself, only to reassure and keep my mind balanced, never in a psychotic manner.

"Very funny," I mused.

_I know. I thought so._

"Yet through all this nonsensical gibberish we have spewed out, none of it can provide me with an answer to my most sought-after question."

_True, true… but it's rather straightforward when you think about it. Child's play, almost. _

"How?"

_You think about all the details of the situation, but it's just a simple love triangle. You and this mage are both in love with that LadyDevimon, who I have to say, is quite the beauty. Ever notice that her eyes are just like—"_

"Acacia's? Yes, I have. It's a rather stunning similarity, one I'm quite fond of."

_Right. So all you have to do is make this LadyDevimon see how good you can be to her. _

"Something that I have already tried to do. Still, she does not respond to me anymore. What have I done to upset her?"

I could sense him shrugging when he spoke again. _I haven't the foggiest. Perhaps the problem is not you, but her. Try to see everything from her perspective. Apparently, she loved this…Wizardmon…long before you. And when he left her, you filled the place. Now that he's returned, able to refill his position, she has to choose whether he reclaims that space or whether you are the new king of her heart. _

"Interesting imagery; however, your embellished words do not make light of the situation."

_I am already aware of that, thank you very much. _

I patronized, "Such biting sarcasm for such an insipid child." My head seemed to swell, an exorbitant amount of pressure in my mind pushing out on all sides. I clutched my head, feeling that if I let go, my head would surely explode. His sinister laugh came from within as I scowled. I hadn't predicted that he would be so irritating.

_Weren't expecting such power from little young me, were you?_

Ignoring his question, I shouted, "Do you or do you not have an answer as to how I could win her heart back?!"

_We are one in the same. Everything I know, I know from you. The answer is somewhere deep inside of you. You just have to search for it. _

"Thank you for not helping me," I answered contemptuously.

_You're quite welcome, my good friend. And don't you realize that it is midday? You'd better get to rest if you plan on confessing your feelings to her tonight._

I shook my head involuntarily, a small way to show my gratitude for his guidance. He promptly silenced himself, and I heard him no more for the rest of the day. I had to admit that, while most of his advice was ineffective, he did hand out something fruitful: it would be for the best if I did take an afternoon nap. Into my coffin I went, closing the lid behind me. Immediately, the world went black as my head hit the pillow.

Dreams were a rare occurrence for me nowadays, unless you counted those nightmares from so long ago, which I did not. To actually remember one took effort, while recalling nightmares became rather natural. I was, after all, a creature of darkness.

It surprised me greatly when the first memory from my dream was a vivid light.

A blinding light poured into my eyes, flooding and overpowering every sense I controlled at the moment, which appeared to be none. It was the bright haven that I had longingly desired for since that fateful day I was first brought there. And like the first time, she was waiting to greet me with a smile and arms wide open.

I embraced her again. The sweet aroma that filled the air, reminiscent of a fresh spring breeze with the slightest hint of vanilla, had seeped into her clothes, which had changed from the last time. This time, she wore a long, white, flowing dress. She looked so… _pure _and_ innocent. _My 'conscience' seemed to echo those words from within the far reaches of my mind. They matched her perfectly.

"Mother… it's wonderful to see you once more."

She smiled. Her eyes were soft, but focused intently on me. "Hello, Viktor. It's time you and I had another little talk."

"Had I wronged you somehow?"

"No, but I've been having a certain nagging feeling that you were troubled."

"Oh." It was all I could manage. I nodded solemnly. I explained her of my situation, trying to put it as descriptive as possible, but not overly so.

She nodded her head slowly and assessed, "You truly love this girl. I know this. You sacrificed your life for her, as this Wizardmon had done for her earlier. So, let me safely assume that you both love her equally. You also care a great deal about her happiness if you chose to let your worst enemy, save your father, be resurrected."

"Yes, that is correct so far."

"And yet, you cannot bear to let her be with him because he is your rival."

Sadly, I added, "I regret bringing him back at times."

"Don't say that," she chastised. "The fact that you put her contentment over your own is but another sign of your unlimited love for her. Treasure that thought."

"Yes, Mother." I honestly was reduced to my childhood self at this point.

She held me again, her hands gripping my head so that I must face her. I knew that she would tell me some distressing news. It was inevitable. "Viktor… _son_… you have to be brave. If she seems more drawn to this fellow than you, then you have to do the hard thing."

"And that is…?" I cringed, awaiting her answer.

"Let them be together."

My heart began to slowly pick away at itself. I honestly was ready to reach in and tear my heart out, immediately shredding it afterwards. _Anything_ was better than this infinite Hell I condemned myself to. Even sharing a room with my brother in the insane asylum looked more promising.

"Why, Mother? Why would you honestly let your darling little boy suffer?"

"I don't wish it, but dear, if you truly love her, you'll let her go. As I must now."

"You're leaving me with a broken heart?"

She smiled, the slightest hint of pain hidden behind those sharp eyes. "You'll fare well, my dearest Viktor. Trust me… I'm your mother. I'll constantly be in your heart and your head, remember that."

"Always, Mother. Always." And then, she faded, as the light grew brighter.

I awoke from the dream, finding my room flooded in sunlight. The light had not bothered my eyes as much as it should have. The sunset had crept in between my thick blackout curtains, casting a brilliant glare on the far wall. I turned to the wall, and I could swear that my mother's outline was in the sun. I rubbed my eyes incredulously, yet there was nothing now but dim rays falling behind the horizon.

I sighed, knowing what had to be done.


	19. Acceptance

Chapter Nineteen-

**Chapter Nineteen- Acceptance**

"Daddy!"

Constantine's irreparable cries for me resonated throughout the hallway. I exited my room and headed for his. There wasn't one moment that I wouldn't spend without my son. I sighed deeply; the concept of being a father was still such a foreign idea. I supposed that it would be a concept I would learn to adjust to in time.

I entered his room as he quickly crawled out of bed, gripping onto my leg tightly. Prying his fingers off of me, I kneeled to his level and carried him back into his bed. I sat on the edge of it, stroking his hand. "It's alright now, Constantine. I'm here."

His eyes seemed to swell with tears, yet not one drop struck his bedspread. "Daddy… I had another bad dream."

"About?" I pressed.

"I… I don't really know. I guess I can't 'member it anymore."

I shook my head, ruffling his hair a bit. "Fine then. I suppose I'll be on my—"

"Wait! I have a question!" He rushed to get the words out, though I had not budged from my seat. I nodded, allowing him to continue. "Daddy, why is Mommy sad?"

I had honestly hoped that he wouldn't stray me toward such a depressing topic, but alas, he did. He truly was my son. "Well, Constantine, your mother is upset for a number of reasons that even I am unsure of. But what I can deduce—that means assume—is that she is probably just upset with me."

"Why? Oh, and thank you Daddy."

"You're welcome. And the reason she's upset with me is because I got her into this whole mess. I made her the way she is now, a LadyDevimon. I got her pregnant, you being the result of that. And… in a sense, I ruined her life." His eyes were clouded over, and I could only assume that he would cry again. "That's not to say that we're not happy with you. Your mother and I both love you very much. Remember that."

"I will. But… what other life did she have 'fore you?"

"Before me, she had a bunch of friends. They were a tight-knit group who would do anything for her. But they never did like me, seeing as how I tried to hurt them long ago."

"Is that Wizardmon her friend too?"

"Yes, and I hurt him the most." I was almost unwilling to tell Constantine of what Wizardmon's fate had been all those years ago, yet my son was (hopefully) smart enough to understand the complexity of the situation. _It's rather straightforward when you think about it. Child's play, almost. _He had a point as his words replayed themselves over in my head. "Wizardmon and I don't get along because I killed him almost ten years ago. I was different back then, much more ruthless. In fact, I was trying to kill your mother, but he loved her so much back then, he sacrificed his life to save her. He succeeded."

He blinked at me, his large blue eyes flickering between the two shades his parents shared: sapphire and ice. He nodded, slowly trying to process all the information. The intricacy of the situation was laid out in a child's mind. A child, who was less that a week old, but more intelligent than any of his age. He understood this problem in its simplest forms.

Finally, after what felt like minutes, he came to me with yet another question. His mind was as porous as a sponge, yet he understood everything I told him. "Daddy, if Mommy isn't happy here with us, will she leave?"

"Yes. She and Wizardmon will probably leave together, where the two of them will go to see your mother's old friends."

"Couldn't I go with them?"

"You might, but your mother's friends surely wouldn't approve of either of us." He cast his eyes downward, obviously heartbroken by the stinging truth. I wrapped a reassuring arm around his shoulder, pulling him up out of the bed and into a hug. "Don't you worry…at least I'll always be here for you."

"That's true. I guess it's not all bad, but still… I'd miss her terribly." He squeezed me tighter, burying his face into my side.

I patted him gently on the back and consoled, "I suppose this is the way it has to be. I've had lots of trouble with women. See, when I was younger, I had lost my mother and my girlfriend. They both had died—no, were murdered—on the same day."

"Daddy…" It came out as a passive whisper, and nothing more.

I continued, "It wasn't until I connected with another woman named Lilith that I started to open up a bit. I treated her like royalty, and what was my reward for all this? She cheated on me with another man! Well, ever since then, I stopped reaching out for women. I became emotionally distant from them all… except for your mother. And now, you see how badly this will end."

"Why? How badly is this going to end?" It was a voice my back was turned to. Obviously, the only digimon I did not want standing in the doorway overhearing the conversation had indeed been the one there. Murphy's Law initiated: anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

"Oh yeah. Daddy, I forgot to tell you something. Wizardmon's at the doorway." Constantine seemed to suppress a giggle, yet he was blushing. Perhaps he was embarrassed that his cute little secret had been discovered. Yes… real cute. After casting him a critical glare, he burrowed himself under the covers. I left in a whirlwind, hardly caring that I had bumped into Wizardmon, knocking him back a few steps.

There was a brief period where I was highly uncertain of everything. My mind became the equivalent of a hurricane; the torrential downpours battered my vunerable conscience, the powerful winds creating a barrier of static interference where I was incapable of hearing him. Unable to assist me in my most desperate hour, I was all alone.

Finally, a voice rang out clearly in the white noise, and not the one I had hoped for. Through the dissonance, the clatter and racket which disturbed my mind, I acknowledged Wizardmon's presense in the hall behind me. Peering around, I noticed that I had not traveled far, merely turning the corner to outwit them.

Wizardmon spoke, "I'm so sorry for everything that I've done." I turned to face him, for anyone can be fooled by a voice. He was solemn, his face grave. No twitch in the corners of his mouth to curl up into a sadistic grin. This was no act—he was serious.

Understanding this, I mentioned, "That is quite a statement. Care to defend that?"

"I think we both know the truth here. At first, I was so confused why I was back and why she was in love with you. I suppose that the protective part of me meddled when I shouldn't have. I apologize for ruining—no… _decimating _your family. It was wrong."

I stood there frozen in place for a moment. He was not falsifying any emotion as he spoke, just like he had done previously. I was also hesitant on how to answer. He had just finished confessing to me that I had been right all along. Not only did I feel an enormous boost in my pride, I was two seconds away from proudly displaying this as if it were a prized trophy. I noticed the lapse in my judgement and abjected to this. Allowing him to humble himself was more than likely the reaction he had hoped for.

I nodded my head, outwardly accepting this, and spoke, "Just so we are in agreement, you are not destroying our family. For her to be happy, this is the way it has to be. I push her away, toward you, because I know that you are good for her. You have done nothing but prove this years ago."

He looked up at me, questioning my words. I continued, "Remember when she was a Gatomon and she had just received the scar on her paw? You took her into her room and dressed the wound. She was fragile, and you treated her with such compassion. I saw you kiss her sore paw after she had passed out from the pain. You had waited until you were sure that there were no tattletales around, like DemiDevimon, before you proceeded. You never even spotted me hiding in the shadows."

He glared up at me, his expression horrified and full of chagrin. I came closer to him and soothed his embarassment, "I never held it against you at the time. It was merely my little secret, my bit of blackmail ready to use against you should the time ever come."

He chuckled nervously at my remark and said, "Glad you didn't use it."

"Yes," I mused, "although it would have been a sight to see the shock on your face…" I sighed, devoid of emotion as I spoke the following, "Take back your love. After all, nobody would give a damn whether this pitiful vampire digimon on the hill carries a grieving heart that bleeds."

"She would," he immediately resonated, such force behind those words before he stumbled, "And… I suppose that I would too. You don't hear half her conversations. She speaks so fondly of you, of how you protected her against this unnamed, powerful enemy that tried to kill you both. I would have seen pain in her eyes had you hurt her, but they're free! They're the same pretty blue eyes I've had stored away in my heart—er, my memory. It seems that she was right: you really _have_ changed."

I snapped back, "I've never changed. I merely supressed my feelings for her. Those eyes haunted me for over a decade and a half now. They were once the only thing I desired, until I learned how wonderful she was: intelligent, kind, and even a fighter instinct embedded into her subconscious. She was perfect, everything I've ever wanted. And yet those eyes… they tortured me the first night I found her. I was distraught with nightmares, painful reveries from my childhood. And as she learned, I snapped."

"I remember… I'm truly sorry it had to come to this though."

"Don't fret. Enjoy yourselves, for you are both free now."

He had turned away, ready to run out the door until he inquired, "Myotismon? How are you certain that she'll choose me?"

"She has no choice, my friend." He threw me a puzzled look, to which I had only grinned back at him. He shook his head, quickly dismissing this, and went on his way. To myself, I had whispered, "The past and the present share the same pain in my heart."

Constantine, being the optimistic fellow that he is, quickly remarked, "Daddy, don't you see? It's all in the past… and the past is in the past, right where it belongs. You don't need to hurt yourself anymore. It's okay. Even if Mommy does leave with Wizardmon, there's no need to be sad. You've got me."

Here was a child, not even a week old, already giving me advice that I, in almost three hundred years of knowledge, could not fathom. What a wonderfully bright and exceptional child prodigy he was now. He would be just as gifted as he matured, perhaps surpassing me one day. I long for that day, but until then, his prodigious ability will continue to astound me and fill me with beguilment.

The two of us exited the room so he would be able to say goodbye to his mother when there was a peculiar knock on the door. Constantine stared up at me, perplexed by the situation. "Daddy, who's at the big door?"

"To be honest, Constantine, I haven't a clue. But we better keep moving and not answer it, nor shall we draw attention to ourselves. Do you understand?" He nodded confidently and took my hand, tottling behind and trying desperately to keep up with my strides. We saw both Wizardmon and LadyDevimon exit the room in a rush, flying past us as if we were simply phantoms stalking the shadows. It wasn't until after she had opened the door that I had noticed our surprise guest.

"Whoa… Wizardmon, can you believe it? Kari's here!"


	20. Selection

Epilogue- Placidity

**Chapter Twenty- Selection**

**(Author's Note: The epilogue, which came to about 5,000 words, is being split into two consecutive chapters, making the final total twenty one. This is not the last one.)**

Kari. Her name burned into my brain, imprinting itself so deeply, I thought the fires of Hell had inhabited my mind. I had not seen this child in ten years, and upon simply hearing her name, my constrained rage and inner turmoil of those times slowly poured through my mind, drowning me.

I had no choice but to confront her, to show her that the nightmare she endured a decade ago still had not dissipated. I was alive, and she had to learn to deal with it. I didn't expect my beloved LadyDevimon to come up with a convincing lie off the top of her head.

"Gatomon…" I heard Kari say, "what's going on? Why are you here again? Why did you run away from us? If it was something I said—"

"It's okay," LadyDevimon responded. I admit that I hated to eavesdrop on the conversation, but it was of the utmost importance. Constantine had fallen silent as well, knowing full well that this was not a good time to talk. LadyDevimon continued, "You didn't say anything, but something had happened to me. I already told you that I was pregnant, didn't I?"

"Yeah… I think so. But why did you flee? Running away from your friends isn't going to solve anything."

She sighed and responded, "I felt it would be easier this way." I chuckled softly to myself, musing over the situation. In the days since coming into contact with me, LadyDevimon had become increasingly more at ease with lying and stretching the truth. A hollow victory for her, I suppose, for all lies come crashing down.

"Gatomon… why'd didn't you tell us—whoa… Gatomon, is that Wizardmon?"

"Oh? Yes, this is Wizardmon. I found a necromancer willing to bring him back… for a price." Kari's anguished cries, her squeals of utter joy, echoed throughout the main hall. Even Constantine began to smile as he peered around the corner to watch her.

"Daddy," he whispered up to me in the softest voice he could manage, "that lady with Mommy is really pretty."

I merely nodded as Kari stood up again. He did have a point: ten years had been kind to this child. She was still dressed in her ubiquitous pink, complimented by a pair of dark blue shorts. She grew her hair out, and she no longer carried a whistle or a camera around her neck. Instead, she had a simple chain with a small ring dangling from it. It must have been too small to fit on her fingers, long and slender. She was a woman now… and even I would _still_ be a bit intimidated by the Keeper of Light.

Unintentionally, she gave me a wayward glance as she rose to her feet. Immediately, I could see the wave of fear flooding through her. She took a double take and I shielded myself from the apprehensive glare she was to give me. Instead, she caught Constantine's eyes, who had smiled in response.

"Hi there…" she kneeled down cautiously, beckoning him to come her way. He was ready to embrace this former enemy of mine without a second thought. I gripped the back of his shirt, preventing him from moving. As he tried to make his way over, he felt me jerk him back.

Forlornly, he waved at her, trying to look away. "Hi miss."

"Hello there, little one. Are you stuck?"

Thinking hard, I could see that he was ready to answer with the honest truth that I was holding him here. I implanted an idea into his head, which he latched onto shakily. "No… Mommy told me to stay right here and hide."

"Oh…" I heard her sigh softly. "You must be the kid that Gatomon mentioned. It's alright, you can come out now." He shook his head vehemently, so much force behind it that I could hear Kari's approaching footsteps. "It's okay, I'll just come to you."

I had no choice but to move quickly. My thoughts flew to the instinct question all intelligent creatures face at one time or another: flight or fight? It seemed that hiding the truth from this intelligent one would be rather difficult, certainly not a challenge I was willing to undertake. I had decided that it was useless; I was to stay here and be found.

She picked him up off the ground, ready to give him a ride on her back or something along those lines when she saw me. Our eyes locked. My stare was rather apathetic while her eyes grew in horror. "You…" It was the only word she could manage before all of the pieces fell into place. She took fleeting glimpses of Constantine as she staggered back toward LadyDevimon and Wizardmon.

Constantine cocked his head in confusion and extended a hand toward the frightened human. "My name is Constantine. What's yours?"

She pulled out of her shell-shocked state to answer politely, "Kari."

"Kari… that sounds nice. You seem very…exceptional." She gave him a puzzled look, probably something along the lines on why such a small child knows such a descriptive word. He seemed to attune to this frequency she was emanating and continued, "Daddy taught me how to speak ar…ar…"

"Articulately," I finished.

"Yes. Thank you Daddy." He flashed Kari a smile, involuntarily revealing his fangs to her. Another wave of worry rushed her. He gazed at the floor as he retracted them. I watched her retreat back toward LadyDevimon, obviously congregating with her. Their voices hissed at each other as the two seemed to bicker silently.

"Gatomon, you didn't tell me that Myotismon was still alive or that he's—"

"Yes, alright already. Yes, he's the father. Yes, he made me this way. Can you please not dwell on the details? They're hardly relevant anymore."

"Hardly relevant? This changes everything! The digimon that wanted us dead—"

"But that's not him, Kari! Not anymore! All you have to do is ask him yourself. Or you can talk to our son. Constantine is such an innocent that he had trouble lying. Trust me, you can tell when he is."

Kari huffed irritably as she turned to Wizardmon, her voice normal again. "Wizardmon, please. Talk some sense into Gatomon here. I'm worried that he's messed with her mind or something."

Wizardmon, being the honest friend that he is, "Myotismon has done nothing of the sort. I would have caught on rather quickly if he had."

She hollered, "It just doesn't make sense!" Silence followed, never comforting.

Constantine decided to speak up. "Kari… why do you think my daddy's bad? All he ever did was teach me how to read and to speak more 'ticulately. And he loves me… just like he loves Mommy. Don't you have a mommy and daddy that love you too?"

"Yes… and an older brother."

"Then you know exactly how I feel. They're my parents… and they're good."

For a moment, Kari seemed to be frozen in place. She stared at me—or rather, through me—hoping that my eyes could provide her with some insight, an answer. I softened my look, my eyes showing her the indifference slowly fading into oblivion. She nodded her head, trying to understand. She followed my eyes as they looked gingerly into LadyDevimon's, and then to Constantine's.

She brushed a long strand of hair out of her face, as she looked me directly in the eyes and said, "I think I get it. I don't know how in the world you somehow became 'good', but… you look different. You don't have that same scowl on your face with all those horrible deeds jumbling around in your head. You can't—you won't—kill again unless someone tries to hurt your loved ones. Am I making any sense to you?"

"Yes, you make perfect sense, Kari." I said her name with such ease, not a hint of antagonism in my voice. She, amazingly, smiled back at me with a slight agitation.

"It's such a shame though… I was hoping to find Gatomon and take her home with me… but…"

"Don't you worry about a thing, Kari. I have everything settled."

"You do? How?"

"Everyone follow me out." I lead everybody out into the front of the castle. They were all bewildered as to my plan, especially LadyDevimon. I turned to face her, holding her hands in mine, speaking clearly from the heart.

"LadyDevimon, you know that this whole situation is rather confusing and not to be taken lightly. As you could see, even your beloved partner, Kari, could not comprehend this situation. It took her some time."

"That's all everyone needs is time to understand that we're in love—"

I pursed her lips shut. "Let me continue, please. I know that Kari is still struggling with this startling revelation. She seems immediate to forgive, but the others… your friends… they are not like her. That is why I am simply going to have to relinquish you to make your own decisions. After all, you are old enough to know what the heart wants."

"Wait… are you saying that you don't want me anymore?"

"No, anything but that. Just that you can decide who you wish to spend your life with. I can see how much you love Wizardmon as well, and that you are perfectly happy with him. It's time I gave you a choice. No more selfishness. My love, it is all up to you."

She stumbled through her words. "But what if I'm not sure about this? What can I do to keep you and Wizardmon satisfied? I want both, but I can't keep you both happy. Please Myotismon, tell me which to choose! I don't want to be torn apart by grief!"

I sighed, knowing that I was unwilling to make this choice for her. "I cannot tell you what you plan to do for the rest of your life. But know this: I will always love you, no matter which option you pick." I kissed her hand, emphasizing my point.

She gave me an aspiring look and spoke, "Really? You truly mean that?"

I replied wryly, "Would I ever lie to you?"

She chuckled softly to herself and seemed to mull over her options. Her face looked lost in thought for a few moments, comparing us to each other. Her heart was torn, for her future and her happiness lay in the balance. This choice would surely either condemn her or free her. Her eyes turned to Wizardmon, and I cringed. I could just imagine her telling him that she loved him more than me. Instead, she gazed at him solemnly. "Wizardmon… I'm sorry it had to come to this. Really, I am. It's just—"

"It's all right, Gatomon, I understand," he interjected. "After all, you have a son to take care of. I'm sure he'll be trouble, just like his father anyway." He laughed dryly, and after seeing no one join in, abruptly stopped himself. He recomposed himself and gave LadyDevimon a big hug. "I'll still love you Gatomon. Remember that."

"I will always remember that." Her choked sob seemed to choke me as well.

He then faced me and uttered, "Well, good luck. Keep her safe and well fed. And make sure she's happy. I can't have her complaining to me that she regrets her decision, alright?"

"I promise to keep her in high spirits."

"Good." He eyed Constantine and ruffled the boy's hair. "I'll miss you too, kiddo." I heard my son laughing a bit, waving a bit uneasily. Picking his head up, he said, "Come on Kari. I'm sure the old Digidestineds are just dying to hear from me again." The distance between the two misfits and my small family grew larger as they moved down the long, ominous stairway.

I turned to see LadyDevimon in a disheveled state. Her lip trembled as her eyes filled with tears. As one single tear rolled down her cheek, I immediately thought of my promise to him. And I know how I am: I can't ever break a promise, even to someone I'm not too fond of. I took her in my arms and embraced her, whispering into her ear, "You know as well as I do that the heart wants what the heart wants, and apparently, it wants you to be happy with Wizardmon."

"No… you're toying with me. I've made my choice, so why do you wish for me to go back on it? I want you to be happy—"

"My own satisfaction comes second to yours. This choice that you were to make did not have to be practical, but heartfelt. And he could sense, as well as I, that you weren't being very honest to your heart. Think deeply. Follow your instincts. Women have intuitions for a reason, and that is so their heart has a second, stronger outlet."

"I see." She held onto me even tighter. "Well… is this… goodbye?"

"For now. Hopefully, you will come back to visit Constantine and I."

She chuckled, almost in a heartfelt manner. "Con. He likes that nickname, or at least he likes it when I use it."

I eyed Constantine, who nodded his head in approval. "Alright then. I'll keep that in mind from now on."

She was ready to walk away when she turned to face the two of us. First, to Con: "I promise, I'll visit you soon. " To me, it was simple: "Never forget that I do love you."

"I would never, ever let such beautiful words escape the confines of my mind."

With a smile on her face, she jumped off of the ledge, descending toward Wizardmon, hollering his name. Though Con was crying into my leg, I had no tears. She seemed so happy, and for the first time, she was actually flying.

_Every day, we yearned to fly away… to taste freedom. For the first time, she knows the feeling that we had often strived for. She's free, truly free. _


	21. Placidity

Epilogue- Placidity

**Epilogue- Placidity**

My heart began to rot, decomposing in its grave. It no longer turned to stone, froze, or tore itself into pieces. That would indicate that it was still alive. Constantine, my poor son, he understood that his father was in pain, yet he still wished for me to talk to him… to teach him a new word every day like I promised. But for the first week or so, I was despondent and unresponsive.

Every day, he would stroll into my room and pull up a chair, sitting next to my bed, my tomb. And every so often, I would hear him call for me quietly. He pressed me for an answer, and sometimes there was a sigh as a response. He simply sat there and sighed back, trying to make small talk with me. In one instance, he commented on the wild spring weather we were having, and I replied with a simple, "Yes. Strange indeed." His face lit up at my response. I was coming around.

Three months passed before I was back to my normal self again. At about the one month mark, I began speaking to him clearly, but I was detached, no feeling in my words. Sometimes, he would throw a tantrum, screaming that I hated him. Life from then until about two months was a bitter hell I would rather not revisit. Our astringent and biting tones led us to constant bickering.

By then, he had grown a bit older, losing his innocent and childish voice. The difficult words I had begun to teach him again he could say with almost no trouble. Remembering their meaning proved to be more of a challenge. And by this time, he was old enough to understand what had taken place when he was young.

I had apologized to him profusely at about the two month mark, and it would not have happened had it not been for the words we exchanged. It was another one of those harsh conflicts where words utterly destroyed me. He had said, "Get away from me, you… demon!" It was all too familiar to me. I had called my father that often, along with a few other choice words. It made me realize that I, who had sought to become nothing like my father, was starting to become just like him. Just like Edward too. Oh, the irony.

Three months had gone by. I had resumed more responsibility as a father, a _real_ one. Now that we were on better terms, he would sit in the library at night with me, his own chair by the fire, reading classic literature I had acquired over the years. We laughed, joked, and even reminisced. I told him very few stories about his mother, but when I did, it was a treat.

I was very disappointed in my love. She had promised to visit us, but never did.

On one particular night, Constantine came to my room, Witchmon by his side. He had often thought of her as an older sister. It made sense: no one could take the place of his mother.

Witchmon caught my attention and spoke, "Sir, you have a letter." A letter? No one ever writes to me. But as I checked the penmanship, I knew my beloved was the author. Opening it carefully, I read it out loud for Constantine and I to hear:

_Dear Myotismon,_

_ I want to thank you for everything you've done for us. I never thought I could be so happy, but that's not to say I wasn't happy with you. It's just that you tried to fill this hole in my heart, but it never quite fit right. That doesn't change the fact that I still love you, and I owe you my life. And no, I'm not paying you back by becoming your slave again, though I feel you'd be a more benevolent master now._

_ If you're wondering how I am, I am doing quite well for myself. I must admit, when Kari, Wizardmon and I returned back to the others, they were honestly shocked, and they kept gawking over him and everything. It was rather humorous. Kari and T.K. (the small blonde haired boy) are very angry with you for what you've done to me, but I told them that they shouldn't be, seeing as how I'm not mad. I suppose I owed everyone an apology for my erratic behavior, and I remember the first to forgive me was Patamon, my angel of Hope, and close confidant. Go figure. I sincerely hope you don't have the Digidestineds knocking on your door one day ready to kill you…again._

Enclosed with the letter was a small picture. It featured my LadyDevimon as a BlackGatomon, Wizardmon standing by her side, and Kari and who was apparently T.K. side by side behind the two. In front of the two pairs of lovers, there were three small mini-clones of their parents. There were twin BlackGatomon featured; both dressed up in their father's outfits, one in blue, and the other in red. The blue one was scowling, while the red one smiled cheerily. There was another one, a small Wizardmon with black hair and the same blue eyes as his mother's, that was hugging the Wizardmon I remembered.

_ I'm sure you're also curious who the three little ones in the picture are. Well, Wizardmon and I are very happy with three beautiful children. The ones in the blue and red are Selene and Luna respectively, and the boy clinging to his daddy is Vivi. Once or twice, they'll ask about my past with you, and I'm more than happy to tell them, "It's in the past, and he's much nicer now." In fact, I was planning on bringing them with us so they can meet their "Uncle Myo." I thought it was cute._

_ Tell Constantine that his mommy loves him very much and she promises to visit next weekend. She swears on her life. At least when we come up, he can meet his new stepbrother and stepsisters. I'm sure he'd be excited to meet them, or at least I hope so. Myotismon, make sure you've been raising him well while I've been gone. _

_ Wizardmon and I are so grateful for what you've done. I don't think I could've done that for someone I love. So, to repay you, we contacted Witchmon from your not-so-distant past while you were out and had her conjure up someone from yours. _

_From your eternal love, LadyDevimon_

_My_ past? But whom?

I shot Constantine and Witchmon a confused look, and the two gave each other sly glances. They knew who it was, and obviously, they wanted me to be surprised.

"I hate surprises. You know that, right Witchmon?"

She giggled a bit, assuring me, "Don't worry, you'll love this one. Guaranteed." I was led to the front door. The heavy wooden doors were keeping out a late summer wind, which would probably lead to a freak summer snowstorm or something. That was an oddity here on Server; File Island was more known for the rapidly fluctuating weather.

Constantine followed close beside me, holding onto my hand. In a nonchalant voice, he mentioned, "Don't fret, Dad. Even I'm not sure who is behind the door here." I still ruffled his hair like I had done to him when he was young. He shrugged and fixed his hair, making sure no loose strand stood straight up. Shaking his head, he added, "Go on. Let in our guest. I'm curious to know who lies beyond the door."

"As am I, child… I mean, Con." Only recently was I starting to use his mother's recommended nickname. Strangely enough, he held the thought of me using it close. I did use it on occasion, and each time it was said, he beamed brighter than the sun. Following his directions, I gripped the doorknob, anxious to know who awaited me there.

It was a woman dressed all in white. She stood tall, and a small golden outline enveloped her. The flushed tone in her cheeks and the ruby red eyes were the only signs of color on her, besides the raven black hair. My body could hardly comprehend it, and my knees almost gave out from under me. _Sh__e was an angel, but above all, she was my mother…_Now, peering at her angel wings, it was too good to be true.

"Mother?"

"Viktor…" Her voice soothed me. My heart, which I had thought decayed into nonexistence, suddenly was struck back to life. It was so bad that I felt the physical aspect of it.

I clutched my chest and murmured, "You made me feel alive again."

"Well, then it seems that I have done my job." She giggled softly afterwards. She knelt onto the floor beside Constantine and held out her hand. "My name is Ruby. I'm Viktor's mother, so I suppose that would make me your grandmother."

He nodded and took her hand, kissing it softly. "'Tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Constantine, but Daddy calls me Con at times. You can too."

"Con? Oh, that's an adorable nickname. You know, that name sounds familiar."

"Really? How?"

"Did I ever tell you the story about a little vampire boy named Constantine?" He chuckled softly to himself and shook his head no. "I didn't? Well, then I'll have to later."

The two walked down the hall where Con decided to show my mother his room. Her mention of the vampire boy stories named after him struck me with nostalgia. She had done that for me all those years ago. I gave a silent, gracious thanks to Witchmon.

Freezing this moment in my mind, I realized what a contrast it was from any other moment in my life. I had been harassed and burdened with pain and misery all my life, even the times when I thought I was numb to it all.

When I reflect upon it all, now was the time that I was truly overjoyed, and truly free myself. Free of my father and his oppressive reign, of Lilith and her deceitful half-truths, and free from the pain of losing my beloved ones. It was my turn to fly now.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"Uncle Myo!"

Immediately, I was rushed by two miniature BlackGatomons. They each ran to one of my legs, squeezing tightly in a loving embrace, or what was meant to be. Their claws began to dig, and I tried to pry them off.

"That's enough. Selene, Luna, off."

"It's not our fault that we love you so much!" Luna cried out. She was the happy-go-lucky one whose job was to keep everyone cheerful. She was very good at her job as a mediator, a skill she inherited from both parents, more from her father's side. An intelligent youth and avid reader, she took to Constantine right away, asking him if he had a copy of a certain old romance story.

"How can you love him so much? You hardly know him." Selene was more practical, but was full of attitude, her mother reincarnate. Her wit and brutal truths made Constantine and me instant targets. The first words out of her mouth to us were words of scrutiny, "So, are you two a bastard family or something?" Her mother's mouth, I swear.

Vivi came over to his sisters timidly and looked up at me, seemingly mesmerized by my height. He held out his hand, gripping mine tightly, shaking it and saying, "Nice to finally meet you, Uncle Myo. Mama says that you wanted to meet us for a while as well." Damn, the child had a strong grip. Vivi was a fairly intelligent boy, much like his father. He was shy about making friends, keeping to himself most of the time.

I had learned later that Luna's intelligence and Vivi's strength were the results of the vampire venom slowly fading from Gatomon's system. Selene, receiving the most out of the three, was subjected to something that would have made her my daughter completely: her excessive arrogance and pride.

The three then flocked to my mother, yelling "Grandma Ruby!" as they tackled her, Wizardmon running off after them to help keep them in line. I turned to Gatomon, who shook her head, laughing it off.

She glanced at me as I stood next to her. "Children never change, do they Myotismon?"

Observing Constantine joining the merry gang, I nodded. "I suppose not."

"So, how are my two boys doing?"

"Which two?" I murmured, realizing that she had two other boys of her own.

"Ha ha. Hilarious."

"I felt it was." I paused, deciding to give her the details of the situation. "Well, I must admit, Gatomon, it had been a rather long and hard three months. Constantine grew up quite a bit, as you've noticed. He's gotten much more enlightened since last time. There were times where we were at each other's throats, ready to kill, no pun intended."

"But, you're on better terms now?"

"We haven't fought once since he essentially called me out as my father."

She winced, for it was such a hard blow for her to imagine. "You? Never."

"And yet, he called me a demon… but enough of that. I have a question for you." She nodded, allowing me to go on. "Gatomon… why my mother? You could have brought Acacia as well."

"Yes, but… you loved your mother more. I just had a feeling that you were always thinking about her." She didn't know how right she was. "Plus, if I couldn't provide you with a little happiness, I knew that she would."

I kneeled down and hugged her tightly. "Thank you ever so much. You have no idea how much happier I feel. Before, I was inching my way out of this shell I had created for myself after you had gone. I had pulled out by the time she arrived, but she cracked the shell, breaking it into pieces. I never have to go back into it, thanks to you."

"You're welcome…" She kissed my cheek softly, "my love."

My hand brushed the cheek she had just pecked as I smirked. "Didn't anyone ever teach you not to kiss another man when you already have a good one?"

"I don't know. You taught me everything, remember?"

"That I did, Gatomon," We began to walk down the hall toward the children. "That I did."

I must admit, giving LadyDevimon up wasn't easy, but she was easier to let go because her happiness was all that mattered. And no matter how the future progressed, I knew that I should remain optimistic. I owe it to my mother, my new extended family, and myself after all.

I was _alive_ again… and I wasn't about to die any time soon.

**Fin**


End file.
